Man has forever been intrigued, and, indeed terrified by the majesty, but power, of our oceans, – with some coastal inhabitants feeling this might more acutely than others. Take look here, at historic communities already ravaged by water, and contemporary ones with a similar fate; at nature’s landmarks, and man-made wonders, in imminent danger.
Dunwich, Suffolk, England, UK
Dunwich served as the capital of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the Eastern Angles. Today it still attracts visitors, but remains irrelevant, a village sitting on the Suffolk coast. Dunwich, which the Domesday Book of 1086 describes, had three churches and a population of three thousand; in the 14th century it was almost as big a city as London was then.
The prosperous medieval city, however, fell victim to the relentless power of the North Sea as storms, coupled with coast erosion, slowly reduced it to virtually nothing. Dunwich in 1908 (shown in our picture) featured the skeletal ruins of All Saints' church hanging precariously over the edge of the crumbling cliff.
Tangier Island, Virginia, USA
The ocean's force has never been far from this small, swampy island in Virginia's Chesapeake Bay. Tangier has lost two-thirds of its land since 1850, and the island faces an increasingly hastened and ineluctable doom as climate change's effects increase. Here, the remnants of a cemetery succumb to storm-induced erosion and rising seas as Tangier sinks into the waves it relies upon for its industry of soft-shell crab and oyster harvesting.
London Arch, Victoria, Australia
One of a series of dramatic rock formations adorning the curve of Australia's majestic Great Ocean Road, the London Arch is also a well-photographed sight, and once bore the name London Bridge until the relentless waters of the Southern Ocean finally succumbed its joining link to the land in 1990. Two frightened tourists found themselves marooned on the remnants as enormous waves pounded the rocks beneath them, until rescuers plucked them from safety in a helicopter hours later.
Hallsands, Devon, England, UK
Another of Britain's lost seaside villages: Hallsands, in south Devon. All that is left of what was once a picturesque, albeit precarious, fishing village nestling between cliffs and sea is a few stones. It had 37 houses in 1891, as well as a pub called The London Inn, and had 159 inhabitants of whom most owned their houses. The Admiralty gave permission for shingle from the adjacent coast to be dredged away in the same decade, ignoring the villagers' protests that their homes would be at risk.
Hallsands, Devon, England, UK
The beach started to subside into the sea, and in 1902 they suspended dredging licenses- but to no avail. Judgment day dawned on January 26, 1917, when an immense storm swept the whole village into the sea. Only one house survived, used as a holiday cottage still to this day, but every inhabitant somehow managed to get clear. They had lost everything, and the fight for compensation dragged on for seven long years.
Rattray, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK
The moving sands, not the waves, led to the destruction of Rattray. Established as a royal burgh by Mary Queen of Scots in 1564, the old settlement of Old Rattray is situated in the area between Peterhead and Fraserburgh, having been focused around its castle and port. A gale struck the region in 1720, burying the village under the coastal dunes, with only the remains of St Mary's Chapel dating from the 13th century remaining visible.
West Pier, Brighton, England, UK
The West Pier opened amid significant celebrations to an enormous Victorian market during a period of seaside holidays: It is a true representation of seaside Victorian architecture, and developers extended the pier's attractions during this period to include a concert hall, tearooms, and a funfair. The pier continued to attract visitors during its peak and gained popularity as an important part of the Brighton Sea front at the turn of the last century until financial decline led to its abandonment in 1975.
Twelve Apostles, Victoria, Australia
Here's one of the most renowned rock stacks along the Great Ocean Road, as many onlookers received a stark lesson in the force of the Southern Ocean when it plummeted to its watery demise in 2005, appearing without warning. The sand and spray flew everywhere as the pillar, one of the "Twelve Apostles," an ancient, colossal limestone stack, plummeted to its death, reducing the number of surviving apostles from nine to eight. The landmark stood before the collapse.
Statue of Liberty, New York City, New York, USA
UNESCO reports it's possible the Statue of Liberty, a well-known emblem of American freedom in New York Harbor, may one day be submerged because of the rising sea levels. Back in October 2012, flood waters rushed over three-fourths of the Statue of Liberty's property on Liberty Island, almost inundating Ellis Island too. The hurricane damaged and completely destroyed docks and infrastructure, but the statue wasn't damaged.
FAQ's
What is "The World's Amazing Places Are Swallowed By The Sea"?
It is a concept, often explored in documentaries, environmental reports, and photo series, highlighting famous historical, cultural, and natural landmarks threatened or actively submerged by rising sea levels and coastal erosion.
Which famous places are most at risk?
Venice (Italy), the Maldives, the ancient ruins of Alexandria (Egypt), Easter Island's coastlines, and Tuvalu are among the most prominent locations facing severe threat.
What is the primary cause behind this phenomenon?
Human-induced climate change drives global warming, which melts polar ice caps and causes thermal expansion of ocean water, leading to rising global sea levels.
Are any of these places already completely underwater?
While entire inhabited countries or major cities aren't fully submerged yet, specific archaeological sites, coastal settlements, and low-lying islands have already been permanently lost or abandoned.
Can anything be done to save these locations?
Governments and conservationists are fighting back using seawalls, beach nourishment, improved drainage, and strict carbon-reduction policies, though relocation and digital archiving are increasingly becoming necessary options.
