Nightmare of paradise on earth: Countdown to Centenary of the Sinking of the Maldives

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http://img1.gtimg.com/tech/pics/24879/24879761.jpg This is a tourist island photographed over the Maldives on November 7. Viewed from a high altitude, the Maldives is worthy of being a string of pearls in the Indian Ocean.: 1,190 green islands are embedded in the blue sea, as dazzling as pearls. No wonder this place is called "Paradise on Earth". However, a cruel fact is that the beautiful scenery of the Maldives is all located at low altitudes. The national average height is only 1.5 meters above the sea, and 80% of the country is no higher than 1 meter. If the United Nations' calculations of the rate of sea level rise due to global warming are accurate, these islands will be swallowed up by the sea one by one within a century at the earliest. The Maldivians are not the driving force behind global warming, but they are the first "villagers" in the global village to suffer the consequences. In interviews with this newspaper, every Maldivian's adrenaline rushes when he talks about climate change, a topic that breeds endless conflict. ； When talking about the climate summit to be held in Copenhagen in December, most of them expressed optimism, especially placing unlimited hopes on China's role. The Copenhagen summit may be the last chance to save this "paradise". They turned into waves more than 1 meter high, and in some places as high as 4 meters, pouring completely into the streets and alleys of Male. Everyone was running wildly, crying, and praying, as if the end of the world was coming! You must know that there have been no tsunamis or even tropical storms in the history of the Maldives, but this natural disaster caused heavy casualties. For the first time, the Maldivians collectively feel the threat to their lives from rising sea levels. ——Ikvam, a Maldivian, recalled the South Asian tsunami at the end of 2004, “Look at the exposed roots of the big trees on the seashore, they will all die sooner or later. ”Standing on the snow-white beach of Villigili Island, 27-year-old Maldivian Ikvam had no intention of admiring the scenery. He lit a cigarette and was heartbroken about the erosion of the landscape by the sea. Ikvam, who was posted to New Delhi, was a former Ministry of External Affairs * Because he was worried about the deterioration of the environment in his hometown, he came to this island to work as an environmental protection volunteer. Ikvam said that the white and soft beaches are gradually being submerged by rising sea levels. This scene is as thrilling as the melting of Arctic glaciers. The shadows of coconut trees are a major symbol of the country, but the continuous erosion of soil caused by sea water washing is making Maldives' vegetation the first victims of rising sea levels. Ikvam told this reporter: “I have seen countless coconut trees fall down. Please take a look at the coconut tree behind me. It used to grow straight, but due to seawater erosion and unstable foundation, it is now tilted at 30 degrees. ” The reporter saw that the sea water would reach another 5 meters and swallow up the beach in front of him. A tide came and another piece of the white sand was washed away. On the other side of the beach is a row of holiday houses built in the 1970s, but they have been abandoned. About 10 meters offshore are full of ruins. Obviously, this place is no longer suitable for tourism. “My father has become a 'climate refugee.'" Villigili Island is only a 7-minute flight away from the capital Male. Its situation makes Male people anxious. Its altitude is less than 1 meter and it is becoming a typical example of seawater erosion. Male people will blurt it out when mentioning this island.: “It's getting 'shorter'! ” “My father has become a 'climate refugee'. The island he originally lived on was called Hathifushi, at the northernmost tip of the Maldives, but it was completely submerged in 2007. All the more than 80 people had to move to another higher island, Hanimaadhoo. I am very worried that more compatriots will do this in the future. ”Ikvam said. Of the 300,000 people in the Maldives, more than 100,000 live in Male, and the rest are scattered in 194 islands. According to a report obtained by this newspaper * * At latest statistics, 164 of them have been severely eroded by the sea. United Nations * * According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global sea level has risen by an average of 1.8 mm per year since 1961. Due to thermal expansion, melting of glaciers, ice caps and polar ice caps, it has accelerated to 3.1 mm since 1993. As a result, rising sea levels will submerge the entire Maldives within the fastest 100 years. “The previous beach on Villigili Island was much wider, with over 20 meters for us to walk on! ”Ikvam the cat drew an image of an island on the ground on the beach and said the Maldives was built on coral reefs * * , the island is this * * The most precious resource, if not properly protected, the reputation of a tourist destination will cease to exist. “Since the height of the sea surface is constantly changing, the islands in the Maldives have always appeared and disappeared. This has been regarded as a natural process since ancient times. But things are different now. Due to climate change, islands that are about to be submerged have already appeared in batches. This is really terrible. ” Residents voluntarily collected stones to strengthen the coast. In order to protect the beach and trees, the reporter found that the locals used all their magic weapons. For example, there are a bunch of strange rocks scattered randomly on the beach. They were collected by residents from various places. However, they are only half a meter high and can be easily crossed by the waves. ； Next to the exposed tree roots, a lot of blackened gravel was also piled up. Upon inquiry, it turned out that the residents hoped to use it to strengthen the tree roots. “Such a small fight cannot withstand the big waves. ”Ikvam couldn't help but recall to reporters the horrific scene of the South Asian tsunami at the end of 2004. “I clearly remember that day was December 26. Just after 9 o'clock in the morning, some small waves appeared on the sea, and the waves lapped the coast fiercely. Gradually, they turned into waves more than 1 meter high, and in some places as high as 4 meters, completely pouring into the streets and alleys of Male. Everyone was running wildly, crying, and praying, as if the end of the world was coming! ” “You must know that there have been no tsunamis or even tropical storms in the history of the Maldives, but this natural disaster caused heavy casualties. I remember that on the day of the tsunami, almost all the streets in Male were flooded, and schools and shops were suspended and closed. For the first time, the Maldivians collectively felt the threat to life from rising sea levels. ”Ikvam said with some fear. (Text and photos/our newspaper’s Maldives correspondent Liu Jun)