Two islands in Sumatra vanish, four more may soon sink

Berbak-Sembilang biosphere reserve in South Sumatra. - Unesco

PALEMBANG, Indonesia (The Jakarta Post/ANN): Two small islands in South Sumatra have disappeared as a result of rising sea levels driven by climate change, while four other islands are already on the brink of vanishing, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) has claimed.

The province’s Betet Island and Gundul Island ─ which technically fell under the administration of Banyuasin regency ─ have submerged, currently sitting one metre and three metres below sea level, respectively, according to Walhi data.