Lost cities of oceans

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Here are some lost cities that are now underwater:

  • Pavlopetri This Bronze Age port city in Greece is believed to be around 5,000 years old and is one of the oldest known submerged cities. It has well-preserved ruins, including streets, buildings, and tombs. 
  • Baiae This city was lost to the sea between the third and fifth centuries due to bradyseismic activity, which is when underground magma chambers cause the earth’s surface to fall. 
  • Port Royal This city is known as the “city that sank” because a great earthquake swallowed most of it into the ocean in 1692. It’s considered one of the world’s best examples of a people and way of life that was lost due to environmental change. 
  • Olous This ancient city, which was once home to around 40,000 people, is now located beneath the Aegean Sea, just off the northern coast of Crete. Its walls and foundations are visible from the shore. 
  • Villa Epecuén This town was slowly swallowed by water over eight years and was under 33 feet of water by 1993. The water has since receded somewhat, leaving an eerie city grid, dead trees, and an empty marina. 
  • Helike This ancient Greek city was destroyed and lost to history by a tsunami. It’s been suggested as one of the inspirations for Plato’s story of the Lost City of Atlantis. 

Other lost cities that are now underwater include:

  • Dwarka, India 
  • Pyramids of Yonaguni Jima, Japan 
  • Lion City

Dwarka 

This ancient Indian city is said to have sunk beneath the Arabian Sea. Hindu writings say that when Krishna left the Earth to join the spiritual world, the age of Kali began and Dwarka and its inhabitants were submerged by the sea

real cities that are completely underwater!

Did you know that there are places across the world where you can find real underwater cities? While most of them were submerged due to flood, others were the result of waterways and reservious constructions. So, if you are intrigued and want to include them in your wishlist, here are seven real cities that are actually completely underwater

Why are ancient cities under water

Ancient cities are underwater due to a variety of factors, including:

  • Geological activity: Earthquakes and tsunamis can alter coastlines and sink cities. 
  • Natural disasters: Rising sea levels, climate change, and flooding can bury cities. 
  • Deliberate flooding: Cities can be submerged to create waterways and reservoirs. 
  • Negative bradycyism: This geologic phenomenon occurs when underground magma chambers empty, causing the Earth’s surface to slowly sink into the sea. 

Yes, many ancient civilizations are underwater, including:

  • Olous A Minoan city that was once home to over 40,000 people and is thought to have reached its peak between the 5th and 2nd century BC 
  • Heracleion An ancient Egyptian city that has Ptolemaic coins 
  • Baiae An ancient Italian city with a statue of a boy located off the coast 
  • Atlit-Yam An ancient Israeli city with a fragment of ancient construction at Neve Yam Beach 
  • Port Royal An ancient Jamaican city that had a population of over 7,000 people in 1692 and crumbled into the sea in 1692 due to an earthquake 

Scientists are also studying the North and Baltic seas, where many civilizations thrived around 8,000 years ago and are now submerged

Pavlopetri was discovered in 1967 by Nicholas Flemming, an oceanographer from the University of Southampton, while he was using aerial photography to study the coastline. He noticed a series of unusual lines on the seabed that led to the discovery of this ancient Greek town. In 1968, a team of archaeologists from Cambridge mapped the site

In 2022, archaeologists discovered the remains of a large public building called a stoa in the ancient sunken city of Salamis, Greece. The stoa is a covered walkway that’s about 20 feet wide and 105 feet long, with six or seven rooms inside. It’s located in Ampelaki Bay, a cove on the eastern shore of Salamis that borders a strait between the island and mainland Greece

In 2023, archaeologists also discovered ruins in the bay region of Alykanas in Zakynthos, Greece. The ruins are more than 30 acres in size and are located two to six meters below the sea bed. They include stone pavements and the foundations of 20 columns, which archaeologists believe may have been used for wooden columns that have since rotted away. The size of the site suggests that it may have been a port or an ancient significant building

The Real Atlantises: Sunken Cities From Around the World

Film, television, music, and literature have explored the legend of Atlantis, but what about the real sunken cities out there? Over the centuries, the ocean has swallowed up numerous towns because of climate change or natural disasters. Below, a metaphorical deep dive into seven of the world’s most iconic sunken cities

Thonis-Heracleion, Egypt

In 1933, an RAF pilot flew over Abu Qir Bay near Alexandria and spotted something peculiar. Beneath the azure Mediterranean, he made out ancient ruins.

It was only years later that archaeologists excavated the ruins. In the 1990s and early 2000s, marine archaeologists discovered a whole city, Thonis-Heracleion. Once a bustling port, Thonis-Heracleion now lies five metres below sea level. The city dates back to the 12th century BC

Shicheng, China

In 1959, the Chinese government decided to create an artificial lake as part of a major hydroelectric development project. The drawback? They had to submerge an ancient city dating back to 25 AD.

The decision was contentious. Critics decried the displacement of 300,000 residents from the area and the flooding of a priceless historical site. Others have hailed the decision because it created one of the world’s most magnificent diving sites, the “Atlantis of the East”.

Atlit Yam, Israel

In Israel, 12m below sea level, lies a 9,000-year-old Neolithic village. It is the world’s oldest submerged site and contains one of the oldest cases of tuberculosis on record

Archaeologist Ehud Galili discovered the village in the 1980s. Researchers subsequently found 65 human remains in graves, houses, tools, and seven megaliths forming half a circle. They also found remnants of plants, animal bones, and burial goods.

But it is evidence of bovine tuberculosis that remains the most startling discovery to date. Scientists found the disease in the skeletal remains of a mother and baby. This outbreak was probably the result of animal domestication and husbandry practices.

According to Italian researcher Maria Pareschi, a possible volcanic eruption in Italy and the resulting tsunami might have been responsible for the city’s destruction. However, others believe that rising sea levels could be the culprit.

Saeftinghe, Netherlands

The Westerschelde Estuary in the Netherlands is a large nature reserve and marshland, full of plant and bird life. Long before twitchers and wildlife photographers flocked here, this swampy area hosted a thriving village that met a murky end in the 16th century.

In the 1200s, the area was already water-logged and marshy, so monks from a nearby abbey drained the land to prepare the soil for agriculture. They were successful and a few centuries later, the village of Saeftinghe enjoyed rich harvests.

Port Royal, Jamaica

The famous town from “Pirates of the Caribbean”, where Jack Sparrow caused havoc, was not entirely fictional. During the 17th century, Port Royal became one of the Caribbean’s most important cities, a center of trade and commerce. Unfortunately, it also gained a reputation for immorality and piracy

The lost villages of Ontario

The completion of Canada’s St Lawrence Seaway in 1959 granted access to the Great Lakes from the Atlantic. A major achievement, but at the cost of 10 submerged villages — Woodlands, Santa Cruz, Wales, Aultsville, Dickinson’s Landing, Maple Grove, Mille Roches, Moulinette, Farran’s Point, and Sheek’s Island. Collectively, they are now known as the lost villages of Ontario

Cities that can submerged under water by 2050

According to a 2022 analysis by RMSI, some critical properties and road networks in these Indian cities may be submerged by 2050 due to sea level rise:

Mumbai, Kochi, Mangalore, Chennai, Vishakapatnam, and Thiruvananthapuram

Other cities that may be submerged by 2050 include:

  • New Orleans The coastal city of New Orleans has been gradually sinking for years, but rising sea levels threaten to put much of it underwater. 
  • Bangkok Scientists predict that unless drastic climate action is taken, more than 90% of the capital will be under water by 2050. 
  • Ho Chi Minh City A combination of high tides, heavy rains, overflow in the Saigon and Dong Nai rivers, and land subsidence due to rapid groundwater extraction puts Ho Chi Minh City high on the list of the cities most vulnerable to sea level rise. 

Some US cities that may be submerged by 2050 include:

  • New York, New York 
  • Honolulu, Hawaii 
  • Hoboken, New Jersey 
  • Fort Lauderdale, Florida 
  • San Diego, California 
  • LA, California 
  • Charleston Central, South Carolina 

Some European cities that may be submerged by 2050 include:

Peterborough, King’s Lynn, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. 

Which countries can submerged in water in future

Small island states (SIDS) are particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels and global warming, which threaten their survival. Some of the countries at risk include: 

  • Maldives The lowest-lying country in the world, the Maldives is expected to be completely submerged by 2100. 
  • Kiribati A Pacific atoll nation, Kiribati could be the first country to be submerged by rising sea levels. 
  • Tuvalu Some estimates say that by the mid-21st century, 50% of the land area of Funafuti, the national capital, could be regularly flooded by the highest tides. By 2100, 95% of the land area could be flooded. 

Other countries that could be affected by rising sea levels include:

  • China: 43 million people in coastal locations are at risk. 
  • Bangladesh: 32 million people are at risk by 2100. 
  • India: 27 million people are at risk

Maldives is the lowest lying country in the world and a number of techniques are used to protect islands against flooding and erosion. Nevertheless, the country is expected to be entirely submerged by 2100. Dhiffushi, Maldives, 2021

What are the solutions to stop cities and counties from submerging in water

There are many ways to help cities and countries adapt to rising sea levels, including:

  • Flood barriers Levees, dikes, and seawalls can protect critical infrastructure. 
  • Floodproofing Place important equipment in waterproof containers, foundation systems, or elevate it. 
  • Relocate facilities Move utility infrastructure like pump stations and treatment plants to higher elevations. 
  • Green infrastructure Parks, gardens, and wetlands can absorb excess water and reduce soil erosion. 
  • Improved drainage systems Enhance drainage infrastructure to manage groundwater levels and prevent land subsidence. 

Other options include:

  • Sustainable water management 
  • Restoring water ecosystems in cities 
  • “Waterproof” urban planning 
  • Reducing water extraction 
  • Promoting water conservation 
  • Implementing groundwater recharge 

However, it’s not possible to stop sea-level rise, and low-lying islands will likely need to be abandoned. A case-by-case study is needed to assess risk and understand solution options

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