Two weeks ago Southern Louisiana was hit by deadly flooding, displacing hundreds of thousands, shuttering schools and hospitals, and killing more than a dozen. Many of us here in southeast Texas, some of us with family in Louisiana were shocked to see horrific reports of the floodwaters’ destruction and the dramatic rescues being performed by the authorities as well as local volunteers. This is what climate change looks like. As the earth warms, the air holds more water vapor, leading to more frequent and heavier flooding - exactly what climate scientists have been warning us about for years.
Photo from The ADVOCATE
Elderly citizen being helped out of her home by volunteers in Louisiana. .
People are dying, unexpected floods are wiping out towns and villages around the world, leading to heart breaking stories from across the globe and right here at home. Storms are getting more severe and more frequent. The Earth is getting hotter, in fact, each of the last 14 months was the hottest month on record. If nothing changes we will soon see coastal cities underwater and the impact of our choices will have cost many people their homes and lives.
One of the many people who have lost their home due to climate change. Part of the series "Drowning World" by Gideon Mendel
On August 12, 2016, Governor John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency for his state, Louisiana. The Governor's declaration comes after the state's capital Baton Rouge, and surrounding areas were hit with historic flooding. All of this despite the fact that Baton Rouge is 56’ above sea level, 40’ above Beaumont, TX. This event has left 13 people dead, and estimated 110,000 homes have been damaged, and thousands of citizens have been forced from their homes into shelters. This flood has been characterized as the worst natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy in the US.Yet, some of the victims see it as a common occurrence after what the NOAA calls 500-year floods have happened several times in the last few years. “We’re just going to have to rebuild,” said local resident who was there for Katrina, "just suck it up and take care of your business, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.” Everything points to the fact that this flood is the result of climate change, yet people are more worried about where president Obama was rather than trying to do something about the looming threat of global warming. In case there are still any doubts about what caused this disastrous flooding here are is Bill Nye explaining it on CNN.
Photo by the Chicago Tribune.
Baton Rouge residents walk through high waters in order to evacuate their homes.
In some Louisiana families have been struggling for years to keep their communities above water, many forced to abandon the land they call home, and find assistance moving further inland. They are being described as America’s first climate refugees. Across the nation families are losing their homes, and more will lose their homes in the near future. Nationwide, almost 1.9 million homes (or roughly 2 percent of all U.S. homes) – worth a combined $882 billion – are at risk of being underwater within one lifetime, according to a study commissioned by the real estate giant Zillow.
Photo from The Weather Channel.
Kids play as water steadily raises around them, Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana. Photo from Weather Channel.
The beautiful and historic city of Miami Beach has recently become affected* by what is known as “sunny day flooding”. Even when it does not rain the city can experience flooding. That is because when the tides are high, the ocean pushes water back up the city’s drainage system and into the streets and as sea levels continue to rise, so does the frequency of the floods. The effects are worst in poorer areas, where there are no pumps installed in the drainage system. This has caused already struggling businesses to lose their flood insurance, worsening poverty in the area. Fortunately for Miami Beach, the city’s Mayor, Philip Levine, believes in climate change science. He has pushed for measures to keep the city above water, such as installing additional drainage pumps. Some streets that experienced sunny day flooding now remain dry thanks to this initiative. But many areas in south Florida are not so fortunate. The Florida legislature has gone so far as to ban the phrase ‘climate change’. Even if the majority of Florida’s political leaders did acknowledge the science of climate change, many cities and towns in south Florida lack the funds for the kinds of drainage pumps that are needed.
Photo from International New York Times
Woman waiting for bus as street floods due to "sunny day flooding" in Miami Beach, Florida. .
Indeed, not everyone has the resources to combat the effects of climate change. In the Solomon Islands, individuals part of coastal villages are moving further inland to higher ground as the shore land and their homes are being eroded away by rising oceans caused by climate change. They are losing their land, not to another country, or even to hurricanes or typhoons. The ocean, the primary source of food for the islanders, slowly crept inland, a silent and unstoppable invader. One of the tribe leaders said that “The sea has started to come inland, it forced us to move up to the hilltop and rebuild our village there away from the sea,”. Not only are shorelines moving but at least five of the Solomon islands have been completely swallowed by the ocean. These islands were not just big piles of sand, they were vegetated and now all that remains are dead remnants of what were once trees. Rising sea levels are not the only thing that threatens these islands. Severe weather and flooding has made river banks burst, ruined crops, and killed dozens of people. Many locals have been forced to relocate to nearby nations. These people, whose families have lived on the islands for generations, have become what has come to be known as ‘climate change refugees’. This is just the beginning, more dangerous things are about to come which will affect much of the world’s population.
Photo from International New York Times.
Tarawa residents attempting to protect homes form floodwaters with sandbags.
Photo from Independent.co.uk
Marshall Island's foreign minister, Tony deBrum, has pled with international leaders to take arms against climate change. "My country is dying"
We have a luxury in the U.S that many Pacific-Islanders can no longer afford and that is being able to deny climate change and call it a hoax. Greedy companies and developed nations are endangering the well being of the entire world so that they can continue their economic growth, while whole islands are disappearing and real people are dying or losing their way of life.
A mother and daughter without a home after vicious weather. Part of the series "Drowning World" by Gideon Mendel.
One of the most important and easy things you can do to help fight climate change is to contact your members of Congress and demand they take action. Click here to find your Senators’ and Representative’s contact information. More than a third of Congress still refuses to believe what nearly all scientists agree on. There are a lot of other things people can do in order to help combat this crisis, such as conserving electricity, reducing your vehicle’s emissions, and even eating less meat. We have to act while we still have the chance, not only for the planet, but for ourselves and our families.
