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Global mean sea level rose by 4.5 mm per year during the period 2013-22 and human influence was very likely the main driver of these increases since at least 1971, the World Meteorological Department (WMO) said on Tuesday. Sea level rise threatens several low-lying small islands. It is a major threat for countries such as India, China, Netherlands and Bangladesh, some of which comprise large coastal populations. Several big cities on all continents are threatened such as Mumbai, Shanghai, Dhaka, Bangkok, Jakarta, Maputo, Lagos, Cairo, London, Copenhagen, New York, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires and Santiago. It is a major economic, social and humanitarian challenge, the WMO said in a report. Global mean sea level increased by 0.20 m between 1901 and 2018. The average rate of sea level rise was 1.3 mm per year between 1901 and 1971, 1.9 mm per year between 1971 and 2006, and 3.7 mm per year between 2006 and 2018, it said. Sea-level has risen faster since 1900 than over any preceding cent