Ghost Towns of the Sea: Communities Lost to Rising Tides

The Last Farewell: Stories of Towns Vanished Beneath the Waves

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Published in 09-04-2025

Communities Threatened by Sea Level Rise

Photo: Nguyen Kiet. The water doesn't just rise; it washes away homes, memories, and a way of life. This village is now a stark reminder of the urgency of climate change.

The rise in sea levels is no longer a distant warning but a reality reshaping the lives of thousands worldwide. Entire communities have lost their homes, culture, and in many cases their identity. This ongoing phenomenon highlights the urgent need to address climate change and protect vulnerable coastal regions.

Kivalina, Alaska: This small Inuit indigenous community has been identified as one of the first villages in the United States that may completely vanish due to Arctic ice melt. Coastal erosion and rising seas are forcing its inhabitants to relocate.

Carteret Islands, Papua New Guinea: These islands have witnessed a human exodus. Residents who relied on fishing and farming were forced to migrate after the sea swallowed their fields.

Shishmaref, Alaska: Another Inuit village where rising seas and melting permafrost are erasing the land beneath their homes. Families face the painful process of forced displacement.

Unseen Threat: How Rising Sea Levels Are Erasing Cultures and Towns

Photo: Grace Koo.
Maldives: While the entire nation is still inhabited, several villages have already been abandoned. The whole country faces the risk of disappearing within decades, according to reports from the IPCC.

Satabhaya, India: Located in Odisha state, this coastal village has already vanished. The sea gradually devoured it, leaving its people no choice but to move inland.

Tuvalu: This Pacific island nation is a global symbol of the threat of sea-level rise. Some communities have already relocated, and projections suggest that in the coming decades many more will migrate to nearby countries like New Zealand.

For these communities, displacement is not only about losing a house but also about losing traditions, bonds, and collective memories. Their stories serve as a reminder that climate change is not an abstract idea but a force erasing places from the map.