High tide causes floods around Marshall Islands

High tide causes flooding around Marshall Islands.
Photo credit: Radio New Zealand 

A king tide Wednesday caused widespread flooding in Marshall Islands capital, Majuro and on at least four remote outer islands and Marshall Islanders were warned there could be more flooding over the next several days.

A six-day forecast for possible wave inundation in Majuro Atoll shows that high tides on Thursday and Saturday evenings could see flooding, particularly if there are storm surges or high winds in combination with the high tides.

Marshall Islands Coastal Management Extension Agent Karl Fellenius, who is based at the College of the Marshall Islands, said the reason Saturday’s risk of flooding is higher even though the peak high tide is lower than Wednesday and Thursday is due to predicted wave swells from the northeast.

Acting Chief Secretary Justina Langidrik said they received reports from the remote islands of Kili, Utrik and Ailuk of inundation from the high tide, and were provided photos of flooding on Mejit, though they have not received an official report. Langidrik heads the Marshall Islands’ disaster response office.

There were no reported injuries, but some people’s homes were inundated with water, Langidrik said. “Some people were evacuated to school buildings,” she said of the four outer islands.

In Majuro, there were no reports of damage aside from large volumes of debris that blocked some roads, making vehicular travel difficult Wednesday evening until government workers using bulldozers cleared the roads.

Late January and late February see the highest tides every year.

The Marshall Islands has experienced several flooding incidents over the past few years during high tides.

Police, Public Works and Majuro Atoll Local Government heavy equipment operators are all on standby alert for possible additional flooding Thursday and this weekend, said Langidrik.

SOURCE: MARIANAS VARIETY/PACNEWS