Rising sea levels threaten Mumbai: Around 1000 city buildings at risk by 2050

Mumbai, along with other major Indian coastal cities such as Chennai, Kochi, and Visakhapatnam, faces an alarming threat from rising sea levels. A recent report warns that by 2050, 998 buildings and 24 km of roads in Mumbai could be affected. During high tides, these figures could surge to 2,490 buildings and 126 km of roads.

Coastal populations in densely populated nations like Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan are also vulnerable to flooding. Major cities worldwide—including Bangkok, Buenos Aires, Lagos, London, and New York—are at risk.

The global sea level is rising at an unprecedented rate, prompting the United Nations to label this an “urgent and escalating threat.” Experts agree that the most effective action to mitigate this risk is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the primary cause of climate change.