Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Into the Atlantic
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Asia Pacific
World
Into the Atlantic - Liberian homes destroyed by sea erosion
AFP - Saturday, September 4
Send
IM Story
Print
Into the Atlantic - Liberian homes destroyed by sea erosion
BUCHANAN, Liberia (AFP) - – A home right on the beach has proved anything but a dream for Frances Kwessi, 35, who has watched sea erosion destroy her house room by room, as the Atlantic washed up on her doorstep.
"As you can see only one room has not yet been touched by the sea," said Kwessi, who lives in Liberia's port town of Buchanan.
Dressed in a dirty blue dress with a baby strapped to her back, she now sleeps there with her three children, after rising tides claimed three quarters of the brick house, with its cement floor and zinc roof.
Coastal erosion in the west African nation has eaten up many beaches, but more seriously has endangered the many unplanned and densely populated communities who built their houses too close to the shore.
"I dont really know what to do now," she said.
"This was the only shelter I had. I sleep here with my children because I have no choice."
Frances doesn't know when exactly, but the chances are this house will end up like so many others -- in the Atlantic.
Government records show that in the past few years about 250 people have lost their homes and 10 metres (33 feet) of beach have disappeared in Buchanan, which lies 200 kilometres (125 miles) from the capital.
"(Her) kitchen just went into the sea"
"You see people constructing very close to the beach," Buchanan City administrator Mickel Mayongar told AFP.
"We have been telling them not to build near the beach, to no avail."
Before it was mainly in the rainy season that sea levels would rise and "wipe things away", said Joseph Garveson, a local businessman. Now however, there was danger even during the dry season.
"There is another lady down there whose kitchen just went into the sea," he said.
For Josep Gari, regional environmental team leader for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Dakar, the causes of erosion include both man-made and natural factors.
"Human-made causes include unregulated sand mining, and unsustainable harvesting and erosion of mangrove vegetation, among others," he said.
Mangroves provide natural barriers against storm surges, he explained.
The loss of these, combined with sand mining on already low-lying beaches often hit by flooding during spring tides, had devastated the coastline around Monrovia, he added.
In Congo Town, the eastern part of the capital, and in New Kru Town in the west, the sea swallows at least three metres of land every year, according to government's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
And a recent UNDP study cited by Gari showed coconut trees had disappeared from the beach around Kru Town "as they seem to have eroded away". Since 2005, he added, 50 metres of shore had been lost.
The advancing sea also scuppered government plans to renovate Liberia's former five-star Hotel Africa in Virginia, the western suburb of the capital, 25 kilometres away.
The restaurant and swimming pool sections of the hotel, which once hosted African Union conferences before being vandalised during the civil war, were in turn destroyed by the encroaching waves.
"We are moving as fast as possible"
Jerome Nyankan, deputy executive director of the EPA, also puts erosion down to rising sea-levels.
In a landmark report in 2007, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicted oceans would rise by between 18 and 59 centimetres (7.2 and 23.6 inches) by 2100.
More recent studies however, factoring in the impact of melting icesheets in Greenland and Antarctica, have revised that estimate upwards to at least a metre by century's end.
For Liberia's government, measures to deal with the problem are hampered by the lack of resources in one of the world's poorest countries.
"We have a short-term strategy to be able to at least ensure that we will continuously protect the infrastructure (against) erosion," Public Works Minister Samuel Kofi Woods told AFP.
"That strategy has been designed, we are raising the money now to do just that to put in some boulders and some other materials and that work is ongoing.
"I understand the fear of those who live there but we are moving as fast as possible," said Woods.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
Hollywood blues dampen sex, action at Venice filmfest AFP - 1 hour 5 minutes ago
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary Reuters - Saturday, September 4
Top directors headlining Telluride film fest Reuters - Saturday, September 4
Venice festival honors Chinese director John Woo Reuters - Saturday, September 4
Hollywood updates Facebook in lineup of fall movies Reuters - Saturday, September 4
News Search
Top Stories
BP spill costs hit eight billion as crews unearth clues
Greater clarity on climate finance at 46-nation forum
Brazil's Petrobras unveils $64 bln share offer
Israeli researchers develop promising new HIV treatment
Iran Guards stop opposition leader from joining mass rally
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
Oil rig blast forces 13 workers into Gulf of Mexico
Zeta-Jones 'furious' at late cancer diagnosis for Douglas
'Prostitute' Carla Bruni deserves death: Iran media
Diabetes drug fights lung cancer in mice: study
Davydenko joins seeded scrap heap at US Open
More Most Viewed »
Earth's upper atmosphere shrinking, scientists say
Tiger's ex breaks her silence on sex scandal
Most US students think Beethoven is a dog
Unchecked migration would see Singapore swell, Haiti halve
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo!
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
World Cup 2010
Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service
- Community
- Intellectual Property Rights Policy
- Help
Other News on Saturday, 4 September 2010 Eight dead as fires flare up again in southern Russia
Twitter tops 145 million registered users: CEO
Quake of 7.4 hits New Zealand near Christchurch
|
French unions pressure scandal-hit minister
Afghan candidate wounded in grenade attack
Greater clarity on climate finance at 46-nation forum
Clinton: time ticking for Israel-Palestinian peace
|
British police quiz Pakistan bowlers in probe
Ex-Illinois Gov. George Ryan Wants Release Following Supreme Court Decision
U.S. and Israel spying behind BlackBerry woe: Dubai police
BP spill costs hit eight billion as crews unearth clues
Japan approves economic sanctions against Iran
U.S. Service Industry Growth Slows In August But Still Shows Some Expansion
Four Mexican politicians die in plane crash
|
Brazil's Petrobras unveils $64 bln share offer
Gates sees progress in tour of Afghan war zone
Elderly Woman Struck and Killed By Bus on South Beach
Ag Department Draws Federal Courts Flak Over GE Sugar Beets
Obama Reiterates No Quick Fix To Recession, Job Losses
Mexican women work, die for gangs in drug war city
|
Logo Announces New Floral-Designing Competition Show "The Arrangement"
As American Job Sector Loses Steam, Re-Employed Workers Lose Satisfaction
Over two dozen minors raped in eastern Congo: U.N.
|
Maryland Woman Sues Facebook Over Ban
UPS cargo plane crashes in Dubai, two killed
|
Jobs Outlook Brightens As Economy Remains Sluggish
7.0 magnitude earthquake shakes New Zealand
Quake of 7.4 hits New Zealand near Christchurch
Hollywood blues dampen sex, action at Venice filmfest
Strong 7.2 magnitude earthquake hits New Zealand
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Bomb kills 54 in Pakistan, Taliban threaten U.S.
Hollywood updates Facebook in lineup of fall movies
Suicide bomber kills 53 at Shiite rally in Pakistan
Obama-ASEAN summit on September 24 in New York
Sofia Coppola takes insider's look at Hollywood A-lister
China landslide toll rises to 15, with 33 still missing
Google settles Buzz privacy lawsuit
|
S.Korea foreign minister faces nepotism allegations
Asia leads world tourism recovery in 2010: UN
Hollywood blues dampen sex, action at Venice filmfest
Heavy tourist traffic endangers Sistine Chapel: museum chief
German president inaugurates new synagogue in Mainz
Uzbekistan bans 'pompous' breaking of Ramadan fast
Fire hazard forces Toshiba laptop recall
Greece's Temple of Athena Nike restoration complete
WRAPUP 10-Bomb kills 54 in Pakistan, Taliban threaten U.S.
Into the Atlantic
Carrefour says it will open first Indian outlet by November
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Death toll from blast in Pakistan's Quetta 43
Top directors headlining Telluride film fest
Death toll from blast in Pakistan's Quetta 22
Venice festival honors Chinese director John Woo
Pakistani stocks end down; rupee weakens; o/n rates up
Hollywood updates Facebook in lineup of fall movies
Top directors headlining Telluride film fest
|
US soldier dies in southern Afghanistan
Curfew declared after 7.1 quake hits New Zealand
|
Google to pay 8.5 million dollars to settle Buzz case
Bomb kills 54 in Pakistan, Taliban threatens U.S.
|
US-TECH Summary
Afghan candidate wounded in grenade attack
Petrobras sells 64 bln dlrs of stock to fund oil search
Google faces Texas AG inquiry, settles privacy suit
Pakistani militants stoking sectarian rift: minister
|
Dont Forget The Lyrics! Premieres On VH1 In September
Texting on the rise among US adults: Pew survey
Two Mexican congressmen die in plane crash
|
Wolves Fail To Keep Elk From Eating Aspen Trees In Yellowstone
Fidel Castro leads first mass rally in four years
Nine dead as small plane crashes in New Zealand
|
Poll: Giannoulias, Kirk Deadlocked In Illinois Senate Race
Crime adds to misery for Pakistan's flood victims
|
Crude Oil Closes Lower
Human Rights Group Says European Companies Violate U.S. Workers' Rights
South Korea minister resigns after nepotism row
|
9 killed in New Zealand tourist spot plane crash
Earl weakens to tropical storm as it moves toward Canada
Philippine leader's apology 'wont' absolve others
Bosnian police find girl who tossed puppies into river
Hurricane Earl takes aim at US Cape Cod
9 killed in New Zealand tourist spot plane crash
Google updates privacy policy
Backer of NYC mosque gave to Hamas-linked charity
Australian boy mauled by sea lion at zoo
Clinton: Time is now for Mideast peace
Suicide bomber kills 57 at Shiite rally in Pakistan
Cuban bloger Sanchez named IPI press freedom hero
S.Korea FM offers resignation over nepotism accusation
Taiwan flight grounded over 'bomb threat'
YouTube to turn profit this year: NY Times
Hollywood blues dampen sex, action at Venice filmfest
Google faces Texas AG inquiry, settles privacy suit
|
Venice's 'couturiers of glass' stand test of time
Kara DioGuardi out at "American Idol"
KT Tunstall finds new musical edge on "Tiger Suit"
Rosanne Cash certain she'll write second memoir
Man pleads not guilty to Paris Hilton home burglary
Hong Kong's Woo accepts career award at Venice filmfest
Chris Klein pleads no contest to drunken driving
Vietnam arrests 4 more executives of shipbuilder
Kara DioGuardi out at American Idol
|
Chris Klein pleads no contest to drunken driving
|
Venice festival honors Chinese director John Woo
|
Man pleads not guilty to Paris Hilton home burglary
|
Rosanne Cash certain she'll write second memoir
|
KT Tunstall finds new musical edge on Tiger Suit
|
Karzai announces council to talk peace with Taliban
NATO soldier killed in southern Afghanistan
Afghans crowd scandal-hit bank to withdraw savings
Clinton: time ticking for Israel-Palestinian peace
|
Suicide bomber kills 5 Afghan police, civilian
Karzai announces peace council to push Taliban talks
|
Earl Puts Canada On Notice After Annoying U.S. East Coast
Seven killed in Darfur camp clashes: peacekeepers
|
U.S. Reacts To TTP Threat, Condemns Pakistan Blasts
Afghans continue pulling money from troubled bank
Thousands protest French immigrant clampdown
|
NATO says 6 Afghan insurgents killed in clash
Mexican judge orders drug lord held 40 more days
|
Car bomb in Caucasus wounds minister, kills driver
|
Rain gear ordered for Commonwealth Games
Pakistan extends flood relief phase to six months
Japan PM leadership rival on the offensive
Two year doping ban for Hong Kong's Zhou Mi
South Korea foreign minister quits in nepotism row
Global minimum and maximum temperatures
Burger King to stop buying oil from Indonesian co.
Burger King to stop buying oil Indonesian company
Scorsese film defends anti-communist informer Kazan
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights