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Forgotten Paradise Under Water

Low-lying island atoll country Tuvalu is coming under threat from climate change

May 1^st, 2015

cyclone Pam - most recent example of larger climate threats to tuvalu

The Polynesian island nation of Tuvalu is located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Because of the low elevation, the beautiful islands that make up this nation are vulnerable to the effects of tropical cyclones, and by the threat of current and future sea level rise. The highest elevation is 4.6 metres above sea level on Niulakita, which gives Tuvalu the second-lowest maximum elevation of any country, after the Maldives. The same goes for Tuvalu’s capital island Funafuti: a narrow, overpopulated atoll island, that is between 20 and 400 meter wide and has its highest point at only 4 meters above sea-level.

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The 672 inhabitants of Nui Island were most affected by Cyclone Pam

"We need the world to help us save the people and islands of Tuvalu"

While all islands have received humanitarian assistance to cover basic needs for food, water, shelter and health care, Tuvalu will require much support from the international community over years to come to recover and prepare for future disasters. “It is evident that Tuvalu is already suffering from the impacts of climate change and sea level rise. The destructions and damages everywhere on these islands speak for themselves – a lot of land and vegetation were lost,” Tuvalu’s Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga said during a three-day assessment mission to some of the most affected islands. “We need the world to help us save the people and the islands of Tuvalu.”

A UNDP and UNICEF team joined the Prime Minister on board of the Manu Fulao, visiting three of the outer islands, including the most Cyclone-affected Nui Island.

The Prime Minister delegation on their way back to the boat Manu Folao after assessing Vaitupu Island

build back better

During her visit of the country‘s capital Funafuti last week, Humanitarian Coordinator and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Representative Osnat Lubrani commended the Government for leading the humanitarian response and assured continued support from the international community. “While the country is moving towards recovery and reconstruction, the United Nations and other partners will stand by your side to help you build back better and cope with future climate change related disasters“, Ms. Lubrani stated.

Islands were flooded with broken trees, sand and large boulders, destroying homes and livestock and even washing bodies out of graves on Nui Island, when Cyclone Pam struck Tuvalu over four weeks ago.

The cemetery on Nui Island was destroyed when waves caused by Cyclone Pam washed bodies out of graves.

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1 200 meters of the protective seawall was destroyed on Vaitupu Island by Cyclone Pam

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The main square of Nui Island is still under water over a month after cyclone pam created huge waves that caused widespr

Most of Nui's crops, breadfruit and coconut trees were destroyed by salt water

Motorcyclist passes a pile of debris on the main square of Vaitupu island in Tuvalu

Takeisi Taumalea (31) sits on the remains of a house at the coast of Nui island

Fayvaka Keneseli Chief of Nui explains the impact of Cyclone Pam waves on his island

Tuvalu relies heavily on its subsistence agriculture and fisheries. Cyclone Pam exacerbated the already existing long-term food and water shortages on the island nation exacerbated tremendously. Half the population is now dependent on food assistance and in need of alternative sources of income.

Takeisi Taumela infront of the destroyed vegetable garden of the women community on Nui Island

"Everything was destroyed"

“Everything was destroyed during Cyclone Pam,” says Takeisi Tamala, who is now living with relatives after her house got flooded. “Our houses are gone, the gardens and plantations are destroyed as well as the natural material for our hand-woven mats and baskets. Women need support to build back their kitchens and gardens as well as alternative sources of income such as sewing machines. We also urgently need a local market hall where we can sell our products,” says Ms. Tamala, listing some of the priorities for recovery and reconstruction assistance.

danger: waste and debris

Damaged water systems and piles of decaying waste and debris are also posing risks to environment and health. “We need to remove dangerous waste like asbestos as soon as possible and ensure that the large quantities of debris are properly managed,” UNDP’s Waste Management expert Camille Laude said during his visit of Nui Island.

EARLY RECOVERY – UNDP

In the aftermath of the disaster, together with the Government of Tuvalu and with financial support of the Australian Government, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will scale up existing community-based projects aiming to protect coastal areas, food and water security with the aim to prepare people and islands better for future extreme weather events.

“We have planted 270 tree seedlings on the coast of Vaitupu Island to prevent beach erosion – but Cyclone Pam’s big waves have washed half of them away,” UNDP’s local community organizer Letia Kaniele explains the impact of the disaster on his coastal protection project. “Now we need to plant them again, clear all the rubbish and rebuild our houses and gardens in order to go back to our usual lives.”

Over 180 UNDP-supported home gardens were destroyed during cyclone Pam on Nui and Vaitupu Island alone, providing a majority of the families on both islands with healthy staples such as cucumbers and tomatoes as well as extra income for surplus produce. “We cannot eat our livestock anymore after the bodies were washed out of graves. The food from the local store is too expensive for us. I don’t know what I can feed my children,”

Lucy Solomon, a mother of three children, explains the drastic food situation and the urgent need to rebuild UNDP supported home and community gardens that were destroyed when waves flooded Nui Island. To improve water and food security as well as quality in over 250 affected households across Tuvalu, UNDP is planning to promote home gardening, water-saving and efficient farming techniques, recycling of organic waste into decompose materials through leveraging existing crop nurseries and other ongoing food security projects.

As part of a joint initiative with other UN agencies and through financial support of partners such as Japan, Australia and New Zealand, UNDP is also planning to launch a cash-for-work scheme in collaboration with the Government, helping to remove and recycle waste in the most affected communities. “The priority is to clear access roads from boulders washed ashore, broken buildings and fallen coconut trees on affected islands like Nui and Vaitupu. We also have to start removing all the debris and improve the collection of household waste as fast as possible, making sure it is properly reused or disposed,” UNDP Waste Management Expert Camille Laude explains.

For the 1599 inhabitants of Vaitupu island this help is more than welcome. They were among the most affected from Cyclone Pam: 26 houses were damaged, 86 kitchen destroyed and about 20 water and septic tanks are unoperational.

Vegetative waste gets shredded with this machine and distributed to UNDP supported home gardens on Nui Island

The UNDP supported NAPA is led by Henry Taloka in Nui Island and adapts Tuvalu to the adverse affects of climate change

Fences and earth were swept away and home gardens covered with sand during Cyclone Pam in Nui Island

Henry Taloka manages the community nursery in Nui that was destroyed along with over 75 home gardens providing food

A UNDP sponsored water cistern helps to conserve rain water for the dry season on Nui island

One of the sources of drinking water for the Nui island community was contaminated with salt water

Food and water

Clean freshwater and food supplies are among the most pressing concerns for the people of Tuvalu. The salt water floods and rains of Cyclone Pam contaminated farm lands and wells, and destroyed kitchens that are essential for preparation and production of food.

Lucy Solomon has problems finding healthy food for her three children after Cyclone Pam destroyed homegardens and crops

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Nui Island citizen Queen Pakai, 62 lost her home garden that provided her family of 7 children with healthy food

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Enota and Margaret Isilua have lost their outdoor kitchen as well as their home garden

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After Cyclone Pam wave surges destroyed crops and gardens, the local supermarket sells only conserved goods

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Toka is a store owner on Vaitupu island and has not received any fresh supplies since the cyclone hit

re-fertilizing farm land

On Vaitupu Island, 57 out of 115 registered home gardens were destroyed, but the UNDP/NAPA supported nursery is still intact, providing composte and seedlings to the community. Letia Kaniele is a community organizer and UNDP project coordinator in Vaitupu island. The shredder, that turns vegetative matter into compost, provides about 115 home gardens with the fertile substance.

Farmers in Tuvalu suffer from the impacts of climatic factors at all times, making it increasingly difficult to sustain local crops. Besides increasing numbers of storms, king tides causing coastal erosions and flooding, harvests are also constantly threatened by a rising sea level and thus saltwater intrusion, as well as heat stress on plants and droughts.

Mark Snow and Douglas Lamese in front of their Taro garden in Vaitupu island that feeds their family and provides income

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The community of Nui Island cleared the main roads but does not have the means to manage and recycle the piles of debris

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A waste management team in Nui Island transports a New Zealand donated shredder to help clear vegetative debris

The community of Nui island receive a shredder donated by the Government of New Zealand

The debris clearing project will provide short-term employment opportunities for about 350 men and women at the same time and support the revival of the local economy, allowing participants to buy much needed building material and other supplies.

A pile of metal at an unorganized dumpsite on Vaitupu Island

A member of the local waste management team standing in front of a dump site

other RESPONSE EFFORTS

An initial assessment by the World Bank estimates the economic losses at 7.5% of GDP respectively US$ 4.5 million. Tuvalu has received US$ 2.7 million of in-kind contributions, cash and pledge donations for relief and recovery efforts so far. Remaining humanitarian needs of affected people are blankets, cooking utensils, flashlights, stoves and water containers as well as tents.

The Tuvalu Red Cross Society has dispatched 150 shelter kits, clothing as well as hygiene kits to most affected islands. UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) are assisting the Ministry of Health in disseminating information to communities on how they can protect their health. WHO has provided 300 emergency water testing kits. UNICEF is also supporting the distribution of medical and other supplies as well as assessment of schools and distribution of school bags with stationary to children. The Governments of Australia and New Zealand have provided humanitarian relief and committed funds to support crop replanting, health and fisheries in the affected islands.