Australian researchers have found that five small Pacific islands have disappeared due to rising water levels, reported The Guardian. This is the first scientific proof that asserts the impact of climate change on coastlines in Pacific, according to the researchers. The findings were published in the May edition of online journal Environmental Research Letters.

The islands – 2.5 acres to 12.4 acres in size – were not inhabited by humans. They were part of the Solomon Islands, which is a nation made up of hundreds of small islands. The region has seen a rise in sea levels annually over the last two decades. The Solomon Island has a population of around 6,40,000 and many people reportedly had to relocate because several islands lost swathes of land to the sea.

The report is based on aerial and satellite images of 33 islands dating back to 1947. The researchers have also used traditional knowledge and radiocarbon dating of trees to reach their conclusion. “This ultimately calls for support from development partners and international financial mechanisms such as the Green Climate Fund,” Melchior Mataki, head of the Solomon Islands’ National Disaster Council, said.

The Green Climate Fund was created by the United Nations to help countries deal with climate change. In April, the Solomon Islands along with 174 other nations signed a global agreement reached in Paris to deal with climate change.