Rise in sea level could affect about 50 million people

"If the sea water rises by one metre, around 37.2 million people from East Asia and Pacific region will be affected followed by 8.3 million people from Middle East and North Africa," World Bank representative and head of Integrated Coastal Zone Management programme Tapas Paul told reporters.

"Vietnam is most vulnerable," he said quoting the findings from an analytical report based on scientific data.

He said almost 5.9 million people from South Asia will be affected with one metre rise in sea water level and Bangladesh will be the worst affected country.