Rising sea levels may submerge parts of Istanbul by 2060: US climatologists

The coastal map of Istanbul will change and most of the places along the Bosphorus Strait will be underwater in around four decades, according to a report by a U.S.-based climate organization.

"Seawater will move in around 2 kilometers to the districts located by the Bosphorus," Climate Central said.

According to climate scientists, the temperature is 1.2 degrees Celsius higher nowadays than in the days of the "industrial revolution." In an optimistic scenario, the rise will be limited to around 1.5 degrees Celsius, while in a pessimistic scenario, it will reach 3 degrees Celsius if the greenhouse gas emissions can not be set to zero as of 2050.

Even in the optimistic scenario, the news is no good for Istanbul.

"The district of Zeytinburnu and the Ataköy neighborhood of the Bakırköy district on the European side will be the most affected regions of the metropolis in the next 40 years," the report said.

Seawater will reach the Osmaniye neighborhood of the Bakırköy district, which is now 2 kilometers away from the shore.

Famous "Rıhtım [Pier] Street" and the "Bağdat Street" of the Kadıköy district on the Asian side will be another area that will come underwater.

"The seawater that will cover today's shores of Golden Horn will move to some 250 meters," the report highlighted.

Kennedy Road, the Yenikapı showground and Yenikapı Marmaray Station on the European side of the metropolis will be some other points that will come underwater by 2060.

"The Lake Küçükçekmece will also enlarge and expand into some parts of today's Esenyurt province," the report underlined.

The U.S. organization modeled a worse situation in a pessimistic scenario.

When asked what would happen to Istanbul if a 3 degrees...