Scientists issue ominous warning as West Antarctic Ice Sheet weakens. Extinction risk for...

Scientists have issued a dire warning about the West Antarctic Ice Sheet that is on the verge of collapsing. According to a study, the ice mass that covers around 760,000 square miles of area is weakening, and if it completely melts, the sea levels could rise to such catastrophic levels that several cities across the world will fully submerge. Researchers from the Australian National University warned that the carbon dioxide (CO2) levels will spell doom for many coastal areas. Their analysis shows that when the ice sheet collapses, sea levels could rise by more than 9.8ft. Dr Nerilie Abram, the lead author of the study, said, "Rapid change has already been detected across Antarctica's ice, oceans and ecosystems, and this is set to worsen with every fraction of a degree of global warming." The destruction would be so massive, that it would affect several generations to come. Also Read: Scientists detect signs that mammoth rivers flowed in Antarctica 80 million years ago

The researchers set off to understand the consequences if the West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapsed. This led to chilling findings that could prove catastrophic for the world. Besides the direct effects, a gamut of "knock–on effects" would be felt, "including making the floating ice shelves around Antarctica more susceptible to wave–driven collapse," Dr Abram said. "The decline in Antarctic sea ice and the slowdown of deep circulation in the Southern Ocean are showing worrying signs of being more susceptible to a warming climate than previously thought," he said, raising concern that a grave scenario could be unfolding. The changes in the amount of solar heat being retained in the climate system will make the Antarctic region even warmer, according to the study. Also Read: What is a cloudburst and why are they more frequent and devastating than ever?

The effects will be felt in Antarctica itself, where the wildlife and ocean ecosystems will take a massive hit, Professor Matthew England, co–author of the study, said. Emperor penguins can go extinct since their "chicks depend on a stable sea ice habitat prior to growing their waterproof feathers." The chicks have been affected by early sea ice breakout events in the past as well. Entire colonies of penguin chicks have been lost around the Antarctic coast, and multiple breeding events have failed in the last decade, England said. Also Read: 511 billion barrels of oil discovered in Antarctica can trigger World War. Here's how

Which cities in the world will submerge if sea level rises?

If the sea level does rise by 9.8 ft in the future, hundreds of coastal cities around the world will go underwater. Climate Central's Coastal Risk Screening Tool is a platform that can tell exactly which places will be flooded entirely if the warning issued by the researchers comes true. In the UK, the east coast would be worst affected. Hull, Skegness and Grimsby would go under, while parts of London would also be hit. The West Coast cities can also be submerged in this scenario. In Europe, major parts of the Netherlands, Venice, Montpellier, and southern Denmark will go underwater. In the US, the Southern states are likely to be affected. New Orleans in Louisiana, Galveston in Texas and the Everglades in Florida will bear the brunt.