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PONPEI (RNZ PACIFIC) – The chief administrator of the most remote island in the Federated States of Micronesia has called on senators to approve funding for a massive sea wall.
Solomon Losen said Kapinga Marangi Atoll, with about 500 residents, has been hit by climate-related disasters for decades.
“Without the seawall, our crops wouldn’t grow well because this happens every year, especially in November and December,” Loson told Pacific Radio New Zealand.
In January, homes were washed away and taro fields were damaged by salt water.
He said his island was extremely vulnerable to the climate crisis.
“We have been facing this problem for many years; we were hit by tsunamis and a lot of water came into our taro fields,” he said.
“So we’re trying to raise some funds to help build it and secure it for the future.”
Pohnpei Governor Stevenson Joseph will arrive in Kapingamarangi on Friday (local time) to discuss the issues.
Loson said the type of seawall needed would need to be built with rock and concrete.
Kapingamarangi is an atoll and municipality in the Pohnpei State of the Federated States of Micronesia.
The community contributes about $87,000 per year toward municipal operations, but the seawall is expected to cost about $80,000, Losen said.
“We only have small projects like renovating offices because we don’t have the funds to do big projects (like the seawall),” he said.
Lawson said there are currently about 150 people living on Kapingamarangi Island, with about 2,000 more living on Pohnpei, mainland Hawaii, Guam and many other locations.
As waves battered taro crops, Lawson issued a proclamation calling for food aid.
He said he did not want to continue relying on imports of rice, ramen and flour because local produce was healthier.
In addition to being attacked by the ocean, this small, remote atoll faces another threat: drought.
Thousands of people in the Federated States of Micronesia have been affected by drought over the past year, including the residents of Kapinga Marange.
Earlier this year, the Australian vessel Reliant delivered 116,000 litres of fresh water to Pohnpei to combat drought, while the US Coast Guard assisted in delivering relief supplies and reverse osmosis equipment to Kapingamarangi and Nukuro, the president’s office said in a statement.
Loson hopes Joseph’s visit this week will lead to a solution and a plan to fund the seawall… PACNEWS
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