Rising seas and waves eating away road in WNB

By LUKE KAMA
THE Makasili-Vavua road, which provides a vital road link for people living in the Hoskins local level government area of Talesia district in West New Britain, is being threatened by rise in sea level and strong waves.
A section of the road, particularly at Makasali village, had gone under the sea along with three others constructed further inland.
However, a fifth road was also built further in from the others and is currently providing service to the people.
The National visited the area last week and apart from its deteriorating condition and rise in sea level, the road is eventually wearing away.
One of the local villagers, Lucas Dito, told The National that the current road was the fifth one that was built far inland after the initial one and three others were all claimed by the sea or had gone under the water.
“The sea is slowly taking away our village bit by bit and this is a great concern for us,” Dito said.
“When I was a small boy, just like my son, the road was further out in the sea.
“But now, it’s all under the sea due to the rise in sea level and I strongly believe that this is due to the impacts of climate change,” Dito said.
He said there needs to be seawall or some sort of buffer to protect the road as well as the local community because it would not be too long before road would go under the sea and force the community further inland.
West New Britain administrator Williamson Hosea said impacts of climate change were real and West New Britain, as a fast-growing province, had a lot that the country needed to learn.
Hosea said concerning the road at Makasili, funds were allocated by the provincial government to get it fixed.