The historic Egyptian city of Alexandria, renowned for its rich cultural heritage and significant historical landmarks, is facing an alarming decline due to the impacts of rising sea levels, as recent research has revealed.
A comprehensive study published on February 12 in the journal *Earth’s Future* highlights a disturbing trend: over the past decade, the frequency of building collapses along Alexandria’s ancient seafront has surged dramatically, escalating from approximately one structure per year to as many as 40. This phenomenon underscores the urgent threat posed by coastal erosion to the city, which has stood for over 2,300 years and is famously known as the birthplace of Cleopatra and the former home of the illustrious Library of Alexandria.
The findings demonstrate that in the last two decades alone, a staggering total of 280 buildings have succumbed to collapse within this historically rich port city. Alarmingly, an estimated 7,000 additional structures are now identified as being at risk of future failure due to the relentless advance of coastal erosion. The period between 2014 and 2020 was particularly devastating, with 86 buildings completely collapsing and another 201 suffering partial structural failure. These incidents have tragically resulted in 85 recorded fatalities.
Essam Heggy, a co-author of the study and a water scientist at the University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering, remarked on the broader implications of this loss, stating, “The true cost of this loss extends far beyond bricks and mortar. We are witnessing the gradual disappearance of historic coastal cities, with Alexandria sounding the alarm. What once seemed like distant climate risks are now a present reality”.
His comments highlight the cultural, historical, and human significance of these losses, emphasizing the urgent need for action to protect Alexandria’s architectural legacy against the encroaching threats posed by climate change and rising sea levels.
