Rising seas displacing communities

KADAVU – About 10,000 people from 61 villages on Kadavu could soon be displaced as the rise in sea level continues to threaten Fiji’s fourth largest island.

The island boasts a population of 10,695 from 71 villages, whereby 14 of these villages are located inland while majority are dotted along the coast line.

The Kadavu provincial administrator Peni Tora said some villages are refusing to be relocated to higher ground because their villages were on ancestral land and they could not abandon it.

He said they were in consultation and considering other options such as the construction of seawalls or planting of mangroves.

At Daviqele Village in the district of Nabukelevu, village headman Taniela Turabe said with the tide eating away the shoreline, a seaward coastal road would soon run through the middle of the village that has a population of 350.

“Before the road was constructed the government said they would reclaim the land but they did not do it and now the road runs across the school boundary.

“We believe in the not so distant future we could soon have the road shifted into our village and we too could be forced to relocate.”

At Dagai Village, Vilive Vakarausoko said they started relocating some houses to higher grounds because it would take some time to relocate all 260 villagers.

Nalotu Village headman Waisale Rai said they had requested for the construction of a seawall yet there had been no response.

At Waisomo Village on Ono Island, village headman Beato Senivatalala said for them while relocation was the best option they hoped to remain in their current location.

- Fiji Times