How three coastal communities are dealing with rising seas
Around the world, rising seas pose a major threat to coastal communities. Flooding will likely become worse, damaging buildings where people live and work. People who reside near the ocean have to change the way they live and build, or get out altogether. Here are how a few coastal communities are facing climate change by adapting to the new normal.
Losing ground in the “Venice of Africa”
People who live in Saint-Louis are in a daily race against the sea. Saint-Louis is in Senegal, on the west coast of Africa. It’s near where the Senegal River meets the Atlantic Ocean. The seaside city has a rich culture and history. Some people call this place the “Venice of Africa.” (Venice is an Italian city famous for its canals and culture.)
Climate change, however, is putting Saint-Louis in a precarious position. Rising seas and land erosion are bringing the ocean into the city. In 2008, an official with the United Nations called Saint-Louis “the African city most threatened by the rising levels of the sea.” He said this during a conference at a university in Saint-Louis.
Read more at Science News for Students, here.
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