A recent report has shown that more than 400 neighbourhoods in Istanbul’s coastal districts are at risk of flooding and storms brought on by climate change unless action is taken to combat it.
The areas that are expected to be most affected are the beaches of Üsküdar and Kadköy, the Port of Istanbul, portions of the Golden Horn and Yenikap, Zeytinburnu, Ataköy, Maltepe, Pendik, and Tuzla districts.
The report warned that there will also be an increase in the cost of catastrophic damage caused by heavy rainfalls as storms, floods, and landslides, which are predicted to increase in quantity and intensity, will devastate the coasts.
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The report noted that a total of 417 neighbourhoods in Istanbul, 329 of which are in the middle class, are vulnerable to climate change and open to similar risks.
“An estimated 77 per cent of the urban population is unprepared for the possible effects of climate change. If no measures are taken in Istanbul, where 12-13 million people will be affected, the cost is expected to reach $200 million by 2030,” the report said.
It added that “If the predicted temperature increase occurs, the sea water temperature in Istanbul will also increase, which will affect the biodiversity adversely.”
Story was adapted from Hurriyet Daily News.
