9 Feb 2016

Fiji villages threatened by rising sea levels refuse to move

2:44 pm on 9 February 2016

A provincial administrator in Fiji says hundreds of residents living in Kadavu are being threatened by rising sea levels, but are refusing to relocate.

Peni Toro said residents from four of the villages report that every time there is a high tide, the sea goes right into the village.

The residents had instead asked provincial leaders to build a sea wall on their border which would allow them to stay in their location longer.

Mr Tora said the wall was just a temporary fix until a more permanent solution could be found, or the families in the villages could be convinced to relocate.

"We can't just move them like that. But they opted for sea walls. They don't want to move, so what can we do? So we just help them with their sea walls, a temporary solution for them."