This photograph provided by the Metropolitan Opera, shows a scene from "The First Emperor," during the final dress rehearsal Monday, Dec. 18, 2006, in New York. The new opera by composer-conductor Tan Dun, is set in the ancient court of Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of China, and had its world premiere Thursday night Dec. 21, 2006, at The Met. (AP Photo/Metropolitan Opera, Ken Howard)



Vanishing Islands

Due to global warming, rising sea levels has submerged two islands in Sundarbans, India, which is recognized as a world natural heritage site.


Two islands among 102 islands in Sundarbands have sunk, reports Jadavpur University’s School of Oceanographic Studies on December 21.


“Official records showed 102 islands in Sundarbans, but we found only 100. Where had the other two gone?” asks Sugata Hazra, director of the School of Oceanographic Studies.


Hazra says, “The two missing islands, Suparibhanga and Lohachara, do not appear in satellite images. This has already rendered approximately 10,000 people homeless and about 10 more islands are threatened to disappear.”



He says, “As the islands sink, 100,000 people should be taken to shelters. Global warming and natural disasters of the mangrove forest caused rising sea levels at the largest delta in the world.”



According to reports, the temperature of the Sundarbans will go up 1℃ by the year 2050.

“The average sea level of the bay of Bengal is rising 3.14mm because of global warming. And as the sea level rises, 15 per cent of the existing islands will be gone,” says Hazra.
/ 입력시간: 2006. 12.23. 08:21