Sea levels in the southwest Pacific Ocean are rising faster than the global average.
The World Meteorological Organization reports that in the future it may threaten to flood low-lying islands and territories, including the country of Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands.
The organization’s report says that the water level in the southwestern part is rising by about 4 mm per year, which is higher than the ocean average.
The general secretary of the agency, Petteri Taalas, notes that nearby regions will also be significantly affected by El Niño – an increase in the temperature of the water surface.
“This will have a large impact on the southwest Pacific Ocean, as it is often associated with higher temperatures, destructive weather patterns and more marine heat waves,” says the agency’s secretary general.
Only in the last 6 months, areas on the northeastern coast of Australia and southern Papua New Guinea have suffered from rising water levels.
And last year, 35 natural disasters were recorded in the neighboring regions, including floods and storms, which took the lives of more than 700 people, and affected more than 8 million.
