OCEANIA/ TUVALU - Tuvalu submerged by giant tidal wave

Friday, 20 February 2004

Sydney (Agenzia Fides) - Much of Tuvalu, a small group of coral islands with a population of 11, 500 people in the Pacific Ocean halfway between Australia and Hawaii, was submerged for about one hour by a giant tidal wave perhaps connected with the new moon. The waves covered the 11 islands which have a total area of 24 sq. km and stand less than 4.5 meters above seal level. The worst is expected to come on Friday and Saturday when the waves could be three to twenty metres higher than usual.
Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Saufatu Sopòaga, said nature is not mainly to blame for this phenomenon which is worse every year. This is the result of global warming caused by man, he said in an interview on Australia’s ABC radio. There is no need for new research on the rising level of our seas, proof exists and Tuvalu suffers the consequences he added, and concluded Tuvalu cannot push back the sea alone it hopes for help from other countries. (Agenzia Fides, 20/02/2004)


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