16 Countries Threatened to Be Underwater by 2050

Bright Side

By 2050, rising sea levels could put several countries at risk of being underwater. These include low-lying nations like the Maldives and Tuvalu, which face severe threats from ocean encroachment. Coastal areas in countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam are also highly vulnerable. If we don't act fast, many communities could be displaced, losing their homes and livelihoods to the rising seas. Check if your country is on the alert list.    Credit:  Buada Lagoon: Lorrie Graham/AusAID, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buada_Lagoon,_Nauru_2007.jpg  CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/:  Central Reclamation Phase: by Minghong,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Central_Reclamation_Phase_3_-_2008-01-12_1.ogv  Solomon Coast: Alex DeCiccio, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solomon_Coast.jpg SSEC/CIMSS, University of Wisconsin–Madison Animation is created by Bright Side.  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/   Check our Bright Side podcast on Spotify and leave a positive review! https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD34jRLrMrJux4VxV   Subscribe to Bright Side: https://goo.gl/rQTJZz ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brightside Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightside.official TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brightside.official?lang=en   Stock materials (photos, footages and other): https://www.depositphotos.com https://www.shutterstock.com https://www.eastnews.ru ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This video is made for entertainment purposes. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, safety and reliability. Any action you take upon the information in this video is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any damages or losses. It is the viewer's responsibility to use judgement, care and precaution if you plan to replicate.

Transcript

00:00 Meet Hulamale, also known as the City of Hope.

00:05 This nickname makes total sense, since this artificial island is part of the Maldives'

00:08 big plan to avoid being completely submerged in the near future.

00:13 Hulamale was created by placing sand from the seafloor onto a submerged coral platform,

00:19 and it worked!

00:20 This city sits about 6 feet above sea level, which means it's twice as high as the Maldives'

00:26 capital, Male.

00:27 While more and more people are moving there to live, the island was also designed to serve

00:32 as a temporary evacuation site during dangerous storms and typhoons.

00:37 Seychelles is another gem in the Indian Ocean that's at risk of disappearing.

00:42 Unfortunately, coastal flooding is becoming a common issue there, especially during spring

00:48 tides and heavy rainfall.

00:50 The problem is that their main island, Mahe, hosts about 90% of the country's population.

00:57 Along the coast, it's only about 6 feet above sea level.

01:01 Fiji is the third tropical paradise on our list, and it's also a top pick for travelers.

01:08 But this nation is in a tough spot, since it's located right in the middle of the Pacific

01:12 Ocean, where huge storms can really turn things into chaos.

01:18 Take Cyclone Winston.

01:19 It hit Fiji back in 2016 and ended up costing them over a billion dollars in damage.

01:25 So one thing they're doing to protect themselves is planting mangroves along the coast and

01:30 preserving the ones that already exist.

01:33 These trees are awesome, since they help reduce wind speed during cyclone emergencies and

01:38 also combat erosion by trapping sediments.

01:42 Egypt might be in trouble too.

01:44 I mean, it's not like the whole country is going to be underwater and we'll only see

01:48 the tips of the pyramids in a few years.

01:51 But things could really change for them, as coastal cities are facing a serious risk.

01:57 Take Alexandria, for instance.

01:59 45% of its population already lives below sea level.

02:04 If the city is flooded, not only will everyone have to move, but Egypt in general will suffer

02:09 a major impact on its fish production.

02:13 In Europe, one of the most at-risk populations is in the Netherlands, where about half the

02:18 people live in areas below sea level.

02:21 In the future, planting a romantic gesture with tulips for your girlfriend could become

02:25 an impossible mission.

02:27 The Netherlands is responsible for two-thirds of the world's tulip production.

02:31 So if fields are taken over by saltwater, it's game over for the blooms.

02:36 But the good news is that the Dutch have centuries of experience dealing with water, so knowing

02:41 how to work with storm barriers and sea walls can prevent them from a doomsday scenario.

02:47 The risks of rising sea levels probably aren't higher anywhere else than here in Tuvalu.

02:54 This island chain, located halfway between Australia and Hawaii, could be the first state

02:59 to become uninhabitable.

03:02 Its stunning land is only about 9 feet above sea level.

03:06 And just by looking at it on the map, you can see how narrow it is.

03:11 In fact, the narrowest part in Fongafale is only about 65 feet wide.

03:17 So even before higher tides become a real problem, the country's limited farmland could

03:21 be flooded with saltwater.

03:24 The next country on our list is the Philippines.

03:28 This archipelago in Southeast Asia boasts some of the most stunning scenery, but it

03:32 faces the risk of flooding for two reasons.

03:35 First, due to rising sea levels, and second, because of crazy, unpredictable weather.

03:41 Since 1990, events like cyclones, earthquakes, and tsunamis have cost the country over $20

03:47 billion.

03:48 Have you ever heard of Vanuatu?

03:52 This chain of islands, spread out between Australia and Fiji, could be flooded soon.

03:57 Vanuatu was one of the first Pacific nations to relocate an entire community to a safer

04:02 spot.

04:03 Back in 2005, residents living in risky coastal areas of the northern island of Tegua moved

04:09 to higher ground.

04:12 Next up, the Marshall Islands, a country located in the central Pacific.

04:17 Studies show that 40% of the buildings in the capital city, Maduro, could end up underwater

04:23 in the future.

04:25 But this country isn't throwing in the towel just yet.

04:27 They've got a game plan.

04:30 They are fortifying the infrastructures of their low-lying airport, relocating key buildings

04:35 to higher ground, and putting up sea walls on rural islands.

04:40 Heading south, we've got Nauru.

04:43 This is actually one of the smallest countries in the world, covering just 8.1 square miles.

04:48 Today, it's home to 10,000 people, but it's on the brink of becoming uninhabitable.

04:55 Water levels are rising, about three times faster there than the global average.

05:00 The Buada Lagoon sparks special concern since it's the only surface freshwater resource,

05:06 and it's located only 16 feet above sea level.

05:11 Our next stop in the Pacific Ocean is the Republic of Palau.

05:15 Rising sea levels are no joke for them either, but protecting their crops, especially taro,

05:20 is a priority at this moment.

05:24 About halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand lies Samoa, and this country is dealing with

05:29 a unique situation.

05:31 Not only is the volume of water increasing there, but their land is also sinking.

05:37 You see, a couple of strong earthquakes and tsunamis hit Samoa back in 2009.

05:42 So as the crust bounces back to its original position, the overall land surface is actually

05:47 going down.

05:49 Because of this, their housing and main infrastructure could take a serious hit, especially since

05:54 all their airports are along the coast.

05:59 Let's head to Kiribati.

06:01 This Pacific nation has a big problem with frequent flooding because most of its people

06:06 and infrastructure are near the coast.

06:09 Apart from the volcanic island of Banaba, none of Kiribati's land is more than 6.5

06:14 feet above the ocean.

06:17 To tackle this situation and keep their population safe, they had this big idea of making a massive

06:22 floating platform, kinda like the ones oil companies have.

06:27 But the problem is that it would cost them a fortune, as the project is estimated to

06:31 be around $2 billion.

06:35 If visiting Vietnam is on your bucket list, you better hurry up.

06:39 The top 10 things to do there mostly involve cruising to jaw-dropping spots like down to

06:44 Ha Long Bay, also known as the Descending Dragons Bay.

06:49 But by 2050, the surrounding land over there might be underwater.

06:54 Another huge problem Vietnam is facing is that the main rice fields are getting salty.

07:00 And if you're into Vietnamese food, you know how important rice is for them.

07:05 Right now, they're especially concerned about the Mekong Delta region being vulnerable.

07:10 After all, this is a highly fertile area responsible for most of Vietnam's agricultural output,

07:16 with over 50% of it being, yep, rice.

07:20 This nation is really putting in the effort to adjust to this new reality.

07:25 They're flushing the rice fields in the Mekong Delta with fresh water to get rid of the saltiness.

07:30 Our next stop is in the Caribbean Sea.

07:33 Grenada is an island country, but you may know it as the Island of Spice since its tropical

07:39 climate is just perfect for cultivating things like nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.

07:46 Unfortunately, Grenada and its incredible fertile soil also face an uncertain future

07:52 of being submerged.

07:54 Let's talk about the last country on our list, the Solomon Islands.

07:59 Five islands in this archipelago have already vanished beneath the waves, and six others

08:03 are submerged by 20%.

08:06 They include the Nusa Iveli Island, which was once a hotspot to go to for a picnic in

08:11 the early 2000s.

08:13 Even though the situation is complicated, it's important to note that more than 300

08:18 of the islands there are inhabited.

08:21 One thing about the Solomon Islands is that it seems like they're always in some kind

08:25 of recovery mode, since the country often gets hit by tropical cyclones and flash floods.

08:31 Their population is already working hard to save their homes from the rising seas by building

08:36 stone walls along the coast, planting mangroves, and constructing houses in higher areas.

08:43 That's it for today!

08:44 So, hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your

08:48 friends!

08:49 Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!

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