Five Famous Pacific Islands Disappeared Under Water

The consequences of climate change are devastating, as Australian researchers have just announced that five of the Solomon Islands have disappeared because of to sea level rise

According to the study, which was conducted by researchers at the University of Queensland, the climate change caused the immersion of five islands of the reef, while six other islands have almost completely eroded the coastlines. On one of these six islands there were 10 houses that have also been covered by water.

The research team members declared that at least 11 of the northern Solomon Islands either totally disappeared in recent decades, or are currently facing severe erosion. The recent events have destroyed the villages that existed, at least since in 1935. The team assessed how much the sea level has risen against the Solomon Islands, by comparing aerial and satellite images, made in 1947 and 2014. They have also analyzed historical and local reports.

Throughout this period, the research team analyzed 33 islands and found that the area is affected by a worrying sea level that rises nearly three times faster than the global average," reports AFP.

Despite the results of the research, scientists do not provide possible solutions to the problem. Instead, they say that their technique might prove to be useful for monitoring other coastlines in the future.

Researchers think that what is happening currently in Solomon Islands would be an ominous message about the effects of rising sea levels, especially for people living in coastal regions.