海平面上升威胁埃及亚历山大

Rising Sea Levels Threaten Egypt’s Alexandria

Rising sea levels are threatening parts of the Egyptian coastal¹ city of Alexandria.

Alexander the Great established the city more than 2,000 years ago. In that time, it has survived invasions, fires and earthquakes.

But, Alexandria now faces severe flooding from rising waters blamed on climate change.

Alexandria is Egypt’s second largest city, with more than 5 million people. It is also an important port and home to about 40 percent of Egypt’s industrial activity. The city is surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean² Sea and sits next to a lake.

Officials have built concrete barriers in the sea in an effort to reduce the force of waves. A severe storm in 2015 flooded large parts of the city. At least six people were killed in the flooding, which also caused the collapse³ of many homes.

In the late 1940s and 50s, Alexandria was a popular place for writers and artists from Egypt and other countries. Today, more than 60 kilometers of waterfront make Alexandria a top summer vacation spot. However, many of the city’s most famous beaches are already showing signs of damage.

The United Nations has warned that worldwide sea levels could rise by 0.98 meters by 2100, with “serious implications for coastal cities, deltas⁵ and low-lying states.”

Egypt’s Ministry⁶ of Water Resources and Irrigation said the sea level rose by an average of 1.8 millimeters each year until 1993. Over the next 20 years, it rose by 2.1 millimeters a year. Since 2012, however, the rate became 3.2 millimeters each year.

Measurements show that the land on which Alexandria is built is also sinking at about the same rate. This is expected to increase the risk of dangerous flooding.

A 2018 research study predicted that up to 734 square kilometers of the Nile Delta⁴ could be under water by 2050. People living in low-lying areas are already experiencing problems.

A 52-year-old resident of the Shatby neighborhood, Abu Randa, said he has repaired his three-story home twice since the 2015 floods. “We know it is risky⁷. We know that the entire area will be underwater, but we have no alternative,” he told The Associated Press.

Sayed Khalil is a 67-year-old fisherman living in the el-Max neighborhood, where hundreds of people were forced to leave their homes after the flooding in 2015. He said homes have flooded with seawater every winter in recent years. “It is hard to imagine that el-Max will be here in a few decades,” Khalil said. “All these houses might vanish. The area you see now will be an underwater museum.”

The government built sea defenses to protect the neighborhood, but people who live there say it has not made a big difference. “Every year the waves are much stronger than the previous year,” said Abdel-Nabi el-Sayad, a 39-year-old fisherman. “We did not see any improvement. They just forced people to leave.”

Some of the city’s archaeological treasures are also threatened. Among them is the citadel⁸ of Qaitbay, a fortress⁹ built in the Middle Ages on the ruins of the ancient Pharos lighthouse in the central harbor.

Ashour Abdel-Karim is head of Egypt’s General Authority for Shores Protection. He said the citadel is especially at risk. Powerful waves continue to push against the structure’s foundation. Officials were forced to build a long line of concrete sea barriers that can be seen from the downtown waterfront area known as the Corniche.

The Egyptian government has put aside more than $120 million for the barriers and other protective measures along the shore, Abdel-Karim said. He added that without barriers, parts of the Corniche and other buildings near the shore would be damaged. If that happens, he said, repairs could cost nearly $25 billion.

I’m Bryan Lynn.

Words in This Story

concrete – n. a hard substance used in building

implication – n. a result or effect

delta – n. a low, flat area of land where a river divides into smaller rivers and goes into the sea

alternative – n. one of two or more things to choose between

vanish – v. disappear

fortress – n. a castle or other strong building built to defend a place

foundation – n. the part of a building that sits under the ground to support it

1 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

2 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

3 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

4 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

5 deltas   

希腊字母表中第四个字母( delta的名词复数 )； （河口的）三角洲

参考例句：

• Tidal channels, deltas, and washover fans are characteristically associated with offshore bars. 潮汐水道、三角洲和冲刷扇典型地与滨外砂洲伴生在一起。
• I know many of the early civilizations prospered on deltas. 我知道很多古老的文明都是在三角洲上蓬勃发展起来的。

6 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

7 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

8 citadel   

n.城堡；堡垒；避难所

参考例句：

• The citadel was solid.城堡是坚固的。
• This citadel is built on high ground for protecting the city.这座城堡建于高处是为保护城市。

9 fortress   

n.堡垒，防御工事

参考例句：

• They made an attempt on a fortress.他们试图夺取这一要塞。
• The soldier scaled the wall of the fortress by turret.士兵通过塔车攀登上了要塞的城墙。