A severe drought has affected these remote Micronesian islands. Now they are fighting back

go through Carl Smith and Dinah Lewis Boucher

After a severe and prolonged drought, communities in Yap State and its outer islands in the Federated States of Micronesia are preparing for the future of water supply and lifestyle in a changing climate.

Earlier this year, due to droughteven though it’s over, it’s still very Dry in some areas.

By June, the situation was so dire that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that rescue teams and residents on islands across Yap State were seeing drought-related “drying taro fields, drying coconuts, and numerous reports of crops turning brown.”

For many, this latest drought has raised deeper concerns about future climate change.

Victor Nabeyan, head of the state-run water and power business, said they were doing their best to adapt.

“The small Pacific islands are going to be most affected by climate change so we are very mindful of that,” he said.

“Our whole plan revolves around this.

“So if you look at our energy master plan, it’s all about adaptation measures, increasing investment in renewable energy, but also making sure there is enough infrastructure to produce water from our country or enough well capacity during droughts because climate change is exacerbating that.

“We are more affected than other countries.”

Extreme weather events

During the drought, Jeff Adalbai, mayor of Ruhr, which is home to about a fifth of Yap’s population, said he had seen water levels in his city’s main reservoir drop.

“This is the biggest one. We only have about 15 percent of the total water,” he said in June.

“We’re expecting no rain here for three months.”

The reservoir is located along the main road on the outskirts of Colonia, the capital of the main island of Yap. Adalbai said that for several months, watching the water level drop became increasingly disturbing.

Climate change is predicted to bring more extreme weather events, such as droughts, to the Federated States of Micronesia, heightening concerns about the future.

“Yes, climate change is a big problem. It’s not just happening in these islands, it’s happening all over the world,” Adalbai said.

“So you’re looking at areas of the world that are impacted by climate change. So, you know, for those of us who have children and children’s children … that’s our biggest concern.”

The ACE Purified Water Station in central Colonia is one of two on the island and operates around the clock to meet demand.

Adalbai also owns this business and runs it along with his partners.

Concerns about whether tap water is drinkable, and the bad timing of Mr. Ye’s other water purification company being out of business for repairs, have taken their toll on his team.

“It was a double load, which was very challenging. My partner and I had to work until after midnight to ensure our customers had fresh, clean and filtered water the next day.”

Outer islands most vulnerable

But for many residents outside of towns and cities, access to water is a much bigger challenge.

Ulithi Atoll is one of dozens of islands within Yap that surround a central lagoon.

Chief Pedrose, also known as Peter Paul Mangalore, said Ulithi Island, with a migrant population of about 1,000, did its best to prepare for the drought.

These included limiting water consumption, mending containers, calling for assistance and arranging for additional water supplies. But despite adequate preparation, it was not enough.

“One month, no, no. One and a half months, no… We were communicating all over the radio with the mainland, with the government, ‘We need water. We need water.’

“We have water tanks ready (after recent rains) to try to collect as much water as we can here. So far, things are looking good, but I’m still telling people to limit the water they use for drinking and cooking.”

Locals on Fedla Island in Ulithi Atoll noted that the coconuts on their trees were withered and stunted due to lack of water.

A few hundred people live there, relying mainly on marine resources for food, but the few crops they can grow are also essential, especially coconuts.

Local resident Florentius Mareyet said this year’s drought was much worse than previous years.

Water reserves are low and, unlike on the main island of Yap, any wells on the island are susceptible to salt seepage, rendering the drinking water brackish.

“We are the smallest and narrowest island in Ulithi Atoll,” he said.

He said this meant salt water regularly seeped into the island’s only well, leaving only a thin layer of fresh water on top.

Yap State House Senator Terrence Fong said hope is returning to the outer island communities due to recent rains.

“It’s been raining so it’s still been pretty hot but we’re very, very thankful that the drought seems to be over,” he said.

For many, this latest extreme drought has raised deeper concerns about the future prospects of climate change.

But communities across Yap State have come together to do everything they can to prepare.

Carl Smith’s travel for this article was funded by the Pulitzer Center as part of its ocean reporting grants and fellowships program.

-This article was originally published on ABC.