flood maps: rising sea levels

I’ve been working with the Google Maps API for a while and I’ve come across the most remarkable thing that this guy had done. He’s taken Google Maps and NASA altitude data and made an interactive map of the rising sea levels. You can even control the sea level from 0-14m.

There’s also a blog about how it’s done here: http://blog.firetree.net/2006/05/18/more-about-flood-maps/. Seems much more complicated than I thought it would be. If I had’ve come up with the idea i would’ve just given up when considering the greater complexities involved. Good effort seeing the project through though.

http://flood.firetree.net/

What’s probably the most interesting thing is the massive populations in developing nations begin affected by global warming. It’s difficult to feel sympathy for america where the carbon emissions per capita are phenomenal, but there’s going to have to be some severe repercussions for countries such as Bangladesh that will be devastated.

Some of the interesting areas worst hit

Based on an elevation of just 7 meters here are some of the populous areas worst hit.

China, North-West of Hong Kong and Macau

Shanghai

Everything south-west of Hanoi, Vietnam

The ENTIRE area around the Meekong Delta, Vietnam and Cambodia

One third of Bangladesh (Pop. 147,000,000)

Amsterdam, and pretty much all of the Netherlands

…and unfortunately tonnes more. have a look. http://flood.firetree.net/