Well, wouldn’t you know it – the storm of the century in Wellington, and I’m not there to see it. From all accounts, it was a real doozy – I’m glad to hear that Wellington has pulled through, even if various seaside properties are minus fences and stretches of roads. Best quote for me came from that bloke in Lyall Bay, who was quoted as saying “you think you’ve got a fence, and then you don’t” which for some reason I found very funny. I was a little distressed to hear of some of my fellow fish found flapping their last across a stretch of highway though.
But it has brought home to us just how savage the sea can be, and how vulnerable our city is – as if we needed further reminding. The south coast, evidently, has taken a real battering. Storm surge can push the sea levels sooo much higher, and with a full moon tonight and still some strong winds, Wellington isn’t out of the woods yet. but it is a reminder of the issues we will face if sea levels rise, and the issues that places like Tuvalu face, as ey already do, with their sea levels already washing over the edge of their houses.
We are not much better than they are…
Tuvalu would basically cease to exist as and when sea levels rise by a few metres. I don’t think any amount of inconvenience that Wellington could suffer really compares…
Michael, yes, you’re right, but a 1m high rise in water levels would basically mean reworking Wellington from the sewers up. At the low point in Lambton Quay, it’s only just over a metre above our current sea storm levels. If we had a 1m rise, then at high tide we could have sea water coming through the road drainage system. Our sewers would flow backwards. Our city would be, in parts, completely stuffed. That’s why I say that we’re not that much better off… Tuvalu doesn’t have 20-30 storey buildings to worry about. We do.
Just saying….