'Buried in marshes': sea-level rise could destroy historic sites on US east coast

New research shows by the end of the century an increase in sea level will threaten the White House, early colonial settlements and other historic places

Large tracts of America's east coast heritage are at risk from being wiped out by sea level rise, with the rising oceans set to threaten more than 13,000 archaeological and historic sites, according to new research.

Even a modest increase in sea level will imperil much of the south-eastern US's heritage by the end of the century, researchers found, with 13,000 sites threatened by a 1m increase.