Island submerged in the ocean as 1350 residents moved
Because of global warming, sea levels are rising. The Panamanian government is evacuating the residents of a small island. The president criticizes 48 other inhabited islands being at risk of flooding and blames wealthier industrial nations.
In Panama, almost all residents on a tiny island will be moved to the mainland because of imminent flooding. President Laurentino Cortizo recently dedicated Nuevo Cartí, a new settlement, to the indigenous Guna people on the country's northern coast. More than 1300 people will soon leave the cramped island of Carti Sugtupu. In his post on X, Cortizo mentioned this.
These island residents become the first people in Panama to be shifted due to climate change. While overpopulation was also cited as a reason for relocation, the primary cause was the increasing sea level, which already submerged several homes on the island.
This island spans five soccer fields and is around 2 km from the Atlantic coast of Panama. Experts predict it'll be completely submerged by 2050.
Cortizo: Industrial nations' emissions cause relocation
The Panamanian president attributed wealthy industrial nations and their rise in greenhouse gas emissions to the required evacuation and emphasized that poor island nations are the first to be impacted by the effects of global warming. "There are countries like ours," he said, "that have to adjust their resources due to the climate crisis."
"Countries with similar circumstances as ours must divert funds," lamented Cortizo, saying "the world climate crisis... has compelled us in Panama to migrate from the island to this settlement with about 300 homes."
President Cortizo clarified that "other Panamanian islands" face the same risk from the rising sea level. In this region, it's just one of 49 inhabited islands that are now only 50cm to 1m above sea level.
The mainland settlement was constructed using $12.2 million in state funds on a 14-hectare plot of land belonging to the indigenous community. Each house is approximately 41 sq mt and sits on a 300 sq mt plot.
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