Сomplete list of UK seaside towns expected to be submerged in 25 years

26 January 2025 , 09:55

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Сomplete list of UK seaside towns expected to be submerged in 25 years

The future is not looking bright for many UK seaside towns as the effects of climate change could drown them by 2050.

Most people in the UK are never too far from a beach or stunning cliffs, and trips to the seaside are part of the summer bucket list for many.

However, iconic seaside spots are at risk of becoming submerged by 2050 if the impacts of climate change are not curtailed.

You might have heard of the Netherlands being at risk of turning into the bottom of the ocean, but parts of the UK have also been identified by experts at Climate Central, an independent group of scientists and communicators.

Chepstow near Newport, Wales, on the mouth of the River Severn is at risk of flooding (Picture: Getty Images)

Small island nations like Tuvalu – one of the lowest countries in the world – and Maldives have long been raising the alarm over rising sea levels and coastal erosion caused by climate change.

The biggest driver of climate change is greenhouse gas emissions, which are a result of the burning of fossil fuels. In the UK, the main source is transport, including personal vehicles, trucks, aviation and shipping.

Map shows UK areas underwater by 2050

Some coastal areas and estuaries in England and Wales are at risk of being underwater by 2050 (Picture: Climate Central)

The red areas of land are projected to be flooded in 2050.

Large swathes of the Lincolnshire and Norfolk coasts are set to be affected, according to Climate Central’s calculations.

The flooding in 2025 could be so bad that the sea level could reach the doorstep of Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

And London is not safe from rising water levels either. Banks of the River Thames are set to be flooded as far as Surbiton, west London, with the river swallowing places like Canary Wharf, Greenwich and parts of Westminster.

Here are some of the other seaside spots that are at risk of becoming underwater.

Morecambe, Lancashire

Newport, south Wales

Weston-super-Mare, Somerset

Southampton, Hampshire

Portsmouth, Hampshire

Eastbourne, East Sussex

Hythe, Kent

Dover, Kent

Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey

Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

Hull, Yorkshire and the Humber

The worst affected areas are found on the coast and near estuaries in England and Wales, while Scotland’s coastline is largely safe from rising water levels.

James Smith