KUWAIT CITY, July 27: Environmental experts differ on the reason behind the rise of tide nearly four meters higher than normal recently which flooded various parts along the coast of Kuwait, damaged some of the chalets, uprooted some trees and swallowed a large amount of beach sand, reports Al-Rai daily.

Some of the experts attributed the phenomenon to global warming and melting of ice in the polar regions, and the subsequent rise in sea levels. Another team of experts stressed, “The matter has nothing to do with global warming or melting of ice, but it is a regular, frequent occurrence that is linked to the tides and the beginning of the lunar months.”

In this regard, meteorologist and environmentalist expert Issa Ramadan explained, “What happened in the past days is an unusual rise in the sea levels. This phenomenon is called the flooding of the sea and sometimes continues for several days”.

In Kuwait, it started last Tuesday, and the height ranged between 3.25 and 3.95 meters. This is very high compared to the usual tide levels. What enabled the tide to further enter the land was the moderate activity of southeastern winds, and the rise of waves on the coasts. “I had previously warned of the rise in the sea level compared to what it was before. The rise in the levels of the seas and oceans is caused by the melting of icebergs in the poles. Evidence for this is abundant, and can be attested by satellite images and researchers.”

He stressed that many of the islands and coasts throughout the world have witnessed high sea levels on their beaches such as Maldives, the Caribbean and other islands, as well as the coasts of the Mediterranean region, Australia and the Americas.

Ramadan added, “According to the studies conducted in the first and second Kuwait’s Initial National Communications under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which was submitted by the National Committee for Climate Change, the height of the water levels will increase from ten centimeters to 50 centimeters in the coming years (from 10 to 50 years) as the rate of ice melting in the polar regions increases”.