Andes Glacier Melt Threatens Water Supply for 90 Million

Coastal and inland communities across the globe face escalating threats from climate-related natural disasters. In Washington state, tsunami risks from a potential magnitude 9.0 Cascadia subduction zone earthquake have prompted NOAA to enhance their Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) buoy system, improving early warning times critical for coastal safety. Meanwhile, in North Carolina and Florida, inland flooding during hurricane season poses severe dangers as even shallow water can incapacitate vehicles and endanger lives, highlighting that flooding risks extend far beyond coastal areas. Globally, rising sea levels threaten low-lying nations such as the Maldives, where significant portions could become uninhabitable by 2050 due to climate change-driven ocean rise and human impacts on natural adaptation processes. Similarly, the Andes Mountains are experiencing accelerated glacier melt, jeopardizing the freshwater supply for over 90 million people as glaciers shrink and snowpack diminishes, exacerbating regional water scarcity. These diverse but interconnected challenges underscore the urgent need for improved disaster preparedness and climate resilience strategies worldwide.