A 10-foot (3-meter) rise in sea levels could flood many US coastal cities. It would change city maps forever, damage key buildings, and put millions of people in danger from floods and bad water.
A map from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows what this rise would do. Cities like Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, and Miami Beach could end up partly underwater.
Coastal geologist Randall Parkinson works at Florida International University. He told Newsweek that floods would not just cover the ground. Water would also rise underground. This could break sewer systems and make fresh water salty.
He said salt water would damage roads, buildings, and pipes faster.
Cities Most at Risk
The NOAA map points to big problems in many areas.
West Coast:
- In Washington: Seattle, Aberdeen, and Port Townsend
- In California: Parts of San Francisco, Oakland, Long Beach, and San Diego
East Coast:
- In Massachusetts: Boston, Gloucester, Salem, and Quincy
- In New York: Parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island
- In New Jersey: Atlantic City
- In Florida: Jacksonville, Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Naples
Gulf Coast and South:
- In South Carolina: Charleston
- In Louisiana: Areas around New Orleans (the city itself may stay dry, but land nearby floods)
- In Texas: Corpus Christi, Rockport, and Texas City
Many beaches and low areas in Florida would go under water. Places like Miami already see floods on sunny days.
More Dangers from Rising Seas
Over 5,500 sites hold waste, oil, or chemicals near the coast. More than half could flood by 2050. This would hurt poor communities and people of color the most.
Parkinson says a 7-foot rise is very likely by 2100. A 10-foot rise could come about 20 years later.
The main causes are warmer oceans (water expands when hot) and melting ice on land. Global warming from carbon dioxide makes this happen.
What Can We Do?
The best step is to cut carbon dioxide emissions. But the gas stays in the air for centuries, so changes will keep coming.
Parkinson says cities should stop trying to just build walls against the sea. Instead, plan to move people from high-risk spots. Let nature take back some land to protect the rest.
Rising seas are a serious threat, but acting now can help future generations.