Posted on 01/22/2008 7:02:07 PM PST by blam
Tuvalu struggles to hold back tide
The King Tide hits the islands of Tuvalu
By David Shukman
Environment correspondent, BBC News, Tuvalu
The fragile strips of green that make up the small islands of Tuvalu are incredibly beautiful but also incredibly vulnerable.
The group of nine tiny islands in the South Pacific only just break the surface of the ocean - but for how much longer?
During a King Tide, which is what the islanders call the highest tides of the year, waves rolling off the ocean can have a devastating effect.
The islands' main road is submerged and nearby homes are threatened by the rising waters.
"We have never seen this in the past," a concerned resident tells me. "We have never seen water coming in this far."
No respect
It is not just the shoreline that is at the mercy of the King Tide's sovereignty, the water also surges up from underground through the coral on which the islands are built.
The rising tide does not stop to pay its respects at a funeral
In the space of just an hour, the lowest areas are all flooded.
Everyone feels the impact; a priest has to step carefully through the waters on his way to conduct a funeral.
The higher the King Tides get, the harder it is to keep things going here. A woman tells me that she is unable to grow any food crops because the land has become too salty.
The sea water is poisoning the soil and people are nervous. "It makes me feel scared," another woman confesses. "What will happen to us in 10 years' time?"
Factors behind sea level rise
The rising waters are slowly creeping into the heart of these islands and slowly but effectively killing them off.
Water bubbles up in tiny streams; and everywhere you look, it just lies on the surface.
And the problem is getting worse. A local meteorologist tells me that the King Tides are getting higher, and it is a trend set to continue.
"The King Tides are getting worse and most of the coastal areas will be washed out," he forecasts for the coming decade.
Runway 'essential'
It is a gloomy prognosis for life on these shores. A typical high tide reaches about two-and-a-half metres, while a King Tide like this can be more than three metres.
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) forecasts a rise of up to another half metre.
It is cold comfort for Tuvaluans, when the highest point of the islands reaches just about four-and-a-half metres above the encroaching waves.
Each scenario will cost Tuvalu precious land. Only a small rise will see parts of the islands disappear.
This includes the runway, which is a vital lifeline to the outside world.
People here say there must be a technological fix if a rich country like Dubai can build entirely new islands.
But the problem is that these islands are founded on coral which is porous; saving these islands will cost a fortune.
For the children, the floods are fun. However, for them to lead their lives on these islands will require massive international support.
But with a population of just 11,000 people, will the outside world think it is worthwhile?
Evict the Kennedys. Give them Hyannis.
Do they pomp water from the underground?
Their islands may be sinking. No one has been able to quantify any sea level rise, beyond that which is normal for a world coming out of the last ice age, to my satisfaction.
Any point of reference on the earth is subject to the quandary: sea rising, or land falling. The best satellite measurement I have found was this: in the past 15 years, the sea has risen 4mm, plus or minus 7mm. Sorry, but those are the only numbers I have been able to find; and I need numbers to do this conversation — not anecdotes about folks on the most marginal land on earth whose islands may be sinking.
You’re on target.
The islanders have used up all the resources and are now looking for a sugar-daddy to transport them to another country. New Zealand seems to be the current choice. There they have been promised welfare goodies that will allow them endless sunny days relaxing on the beach, free beer and food and numerous opportunities to belch the nonsense that global warming ruined their homes.
The UN marxists and eco-fascist liars will milk this for all it’s worth. And the idiot soccer moms will write more $25 checks to the Sierra Club.
“No. Just move somewhere else.”
The exact words of the wife and me when watching this story on BBC last night..
If the ocean were rising because of ice caps melting, then ALL islands would be going under. Instead, only Tuvalu is, which means it isn’t the oceans. (Instead, it’s mining the gravel to make concrete.)
Sorry, all out of valid data, so we'll rely on emotional stories instead.
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