Underwater heritage includes shipwrecks and artefacts lost at sea and extends to prehistoric sites, sunken towns and ancient ports that are now submerged due to climatic or geological changes . Off the shores of Africa, about 111 shipwrecks have been documented, with South Africa having a major share of about 41 sites. The sunken Egyptian city of Thonis-Heracleion and its associated 60+ shipwrecks reflect the richness of Africa's waters. Unfortunately, increased storm surges and violent weather currently threaten the integrity of shipwrecks by accelerating the destruction of wooden parts and other features . However, climate change impacts on underwater cultural heritage sites are poorly studied, as it requires specialist assessment techniques , and marine archaeology studies are not well established in Africa.
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report