Heavy coastal flooding engulfed islands and atolls in the Western Equatorial Pacific last week, while buildings and food crops were heavily damaged in Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands.
On one level, very high tides around this time of year in the western Pacific are considered normal and are termed ‘spring tides’.
But why’s the damage so great now?
The main reason for that is that the countries are undergoing a deluge triangle: a combination of spring tides, climate change, and La Niña.
We know that the events of La Nina affect the climate of countries throughout the Pacific, increasing the likelihood of high precipitation and tropical cyclones in places.
This increase in sea level would naturally lead to far more flood deflations at low-lying areas during spring tides such as the western tropical Pacific.
Reports emerging of major damage caused by high tides across Pacific yesterday – PNG, FSM, Marshalls extensive damage.
Sea level rise actually happening, nowhttps://t.co/SoBMux80Fi pic.twitter.com/gUH9owSqjQ— Michael Field (@MichaelFieldNZ) December 6, 2021
South Pacific nations into third day of high spring tides; places like Bougainville, Solomons, Marshalls suffering extensive food crop damage – some places homes are being destroyed #Sealevel pic.twitter.com/zBEs8Fmu47
— Michael Field (@MichaelFieldNZ) December 7, 2021
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