Asia’s Deltas Are Sinking As Sand Mining Rises: Experts Warn

• Radhakrishna N S
• 24 September, 2018

By: Radhakrishna N S

Now, sand mining has turned into an environmental hazard in Asia including India. Sand mining from rivers is depriving many low-lying Asian deltas of the sediment they need to maintain themselves, raising the risk of worsening land loss to sea level rise, researchers say. Combined with losses of soil-holding mangroves and accelerating groundwater extraction, which can lead to land sinking, the mining is increasing climate-related threats for those living in low-lying coastal areas, they said. “We have created a recipe for climate disaster,” said Marc Goichot of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Deltas dependent on the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna, Mekong and Yangtze…

You do not have access to this content. You need to subscribe.