Islands brace for more king tides

MARSHALL ISLANDS – Weather forecasters have warned of more inundation in the Marshall Islands this week with a combination of stormy seas and a king tide at work again.

Weather officials in Guam say another storm is anticipated to push high tides over the islands by as much as 60 centimetres during high tide periods through to Friday this week.

In a special alert issued yesterday the US National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) said a king tide cycle is also expected to occur, starting this Tuesday.

Many islands experienced flooding after a storm blew in from Wake Island earlier this month.

“The combination of these elements could cause coastal inundation of up to two feet (60 cm), especially during high tide along north ocean-facing shores of Ejit and Northern Darrit, and also inside the lagoon from the Delap area to near Peace Park, “ said weather officials.

High tides were expected on Wednesday morning at 5.17am and 5.27pm, Thursday at 5.42am and 5.53pm, and Friday 6.08am and 6.19pm.

NOAA officials urged Marshall Islanders to “take action to protect crops and properties near these locations and stay away from flooded areas.”

Permanent seawalls are being considered by authorities in the Marshall Islands as a way to stop cemeteries from washing away due to erosion and flooding.

Damaging king tides are common in the country of 29 narrow low-lying atolls, and recently large waves have eroded away at cemeteries, washing some graves into the sea.

In 2014, a series of large waves washed into a cemetery on Kwajalein Atoll, exposing the remains of soldiers killed in World War II.

And on March 9, a king tide pushed by storm surges washed debris onto roads and flooded homes in the capital, Majuro.

Melvin Dacillo, a manager at the Ministry of Public Works, said that flooding damaged a cemetery on the densely populated atoll.

“When we did a rapid assessment, there are already some coffins, and skulls and bones that were exposed,” said Dacillo.

“We alerted the Ministry of Health, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), and the government to closely monitor that and be able to coordinate with the land owners and the families affected.”

Dacillio said it was a priority for the government to try and find a permanent solution to erosion at cemeteries, and construction of a permanent seawall was being considered as a solution.

“There’s no way we can solve that erosion except to provide a permanent seawall in those areas.” - RNZI