Sea rise and salt water intrusion causing another of Solomon Islands low lying islands to sink.
The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch without doing anything.” — Albert Einstein
Sikaiana Island, a low-lying island in Malaita Province, is on the verge of sinking due to sea-level rise.
Sea rise is threatening the remote island’s only interior site reserved for gardening. It has also shrunk the island’s small landmass.
Locals in the island reported that sea rise has threatened their taro gardens.
Taro is the island’s main food. The Polynesian people living in this island have been relying on taro for generations.
Salt water has entered their gardening site, from beneath the ground, through cavities in the island’s base rock.
The issue of salt water intrusion from beneath the ground was reportedly witnessed by elders in the island in past years.
The elders reacted to this by building stone walls around the small cavities to prevent salt water from expanding. This idea proved effective.
The problem has re-emerged, but this time it’s out of control.
At least four big cavities have emerged in the island’s interior and the cavities have poured out large quantity of salt water onto existing garden sites.
The problem the people in this remote island faces with their gardens is very serious as any family whose block of land for gardening is inundated by salt water has nowhere else to garden.
Already the families whose blocks are contaminated by salt water are being forced to rely on fish and imported food.
Quoting news reported by Island Sun newspaper.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
