New research suggests some 150-million people could be affected by rising sea levels by 2050.
This alarming forecast is far worse than previous predictions.
Lee Min-sun reports. Rising sea levels could wipe out the homes of some 150-million people living in coastal areas by year 2050.
That's three times more people than previous research had predicted.
According to research by U.S.-based non-profit organization Climate Central, most of southern Vietnam, Shanghai and Mumbai are located lower than the expected sea level in 2050.
Large areas of southern Vietnam, home to 20 million people, could be underwater.
And 10% of the population of Thailand live in areas likely to be flooded by 2050, including the capital city Bangkok. Previous predictions only estimated 1% of population would be affected by the rising sea levels.
Other major Asian cities that are vulnerable to the rising sea level include Shanghai and Mumbai.
Urgent action is also required in some cities like Basra in Iraq and Alexandria in Egypt to protect historic and cultural heritage.
Researchers urged installing seawalls and other barriers as a temporary measure and called on each country to come up with long term policies to relocate people living in at-risk areas.
They also pointed that the issue of rising sea levels was considered an environmental problem, but it become a humanitarian, security and even military problem.
Lee Min-sun Arirang News.