New Moore Island is just one of many islands that are sinking into the sea. Image from Flickr.
New Moore Island is just one of dozens of islands around the world that are slowly but surely sinking into the sea. Situated between India and Bangladesh, New Moore Island has long been the subject of a diplomatic dispute between the two countries. Residents of Bangladesh have long since taken a short term loan of living space on other, drier shores, but the issue will only get worse as time goes on. Rising sea levels have claimed more than just New Moore Island, but this tiny disputed island is bringing more attention to the issue than ever before.
New Moore Island by any other name
The disputed New Moore Island was a tiny chunk of land – less than 2 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. The government of India claimed the island as part of its territory, saying that New Moore Island fell within established maritime borders. However, the government of Bangladesh also claims the island, which they call South Talpatti.
There have never been any permanent settlements on New Moore Island. The island came under dispute only about 40 years ago, when New Moore Island/South Talpatti appeared after the Bhola cyclone. India had at one point established a base on South Talpatti/New Moore Island, but international opinion was split on the question.
Rising sea levels engulf New Moore Island
The School of Oceanographic Studies in Calcutta reported to the BBC recently that New Moore Island had been entirely engulfed by rising sea waters. Confirmed by local fishermen and satellite pictures, New Moore Island is officially no more. Before the year 2000, sea levels in most of the world went up by approximately 3 millimeters a year, but between 2000 and 2010 sea level has risen at about 5 millimeters per year. In the Bengal Basin region and Sundarban Island chain, where New Moore Island was situated, sea levels have been rising by about 3.14 centimeters a year. New Moore Island is the fifth island in the Sundarbans to sink into the sea – preceded by Bedford, Lohachara, Kabasgadi, and Suparibhanga.
Other island nations at risk
New Moore Island and the Sundarban Island chains are not the only islands at risk of sinking into the ocean. The Maldives, an island nation in the Indian ocean, has been losing land mass to the sea for years. The highest point in the Maldives is only 8 feet above ocean level, so even a high tide can cause problems for residents. The government of the Maldives is building an artificial island called Hulhumale nearby for residents to move to. Tuvalu, a Pacific Ocean island between Hawaii and Austrailia, is also quickly losing land mass. Tuvalu has 11,000 residents, and experts estimate the island will be entirely engulfed by the sea in as little as 50 years. Each year, 75 Tuvalu residents can use military personal loans to move to New Zealand – but many more are left behind. Tonga, Kirbati, and the Marshall Islands are also at risk of disappearing just like New Moore Island did.
How to stop the sinking?
In the end, there is no way to accurately measure the cause and effect of small islands ending up in the ocean. Sea levels rise and fall regularly, and island land masses can also rise and sink on their own. There are also arguments about if the increased water levels are due to global climate change or natural variations in the climate. No matter who or what is to blame, though, island nations that are sinking are being forced to find solutions – because there is not yet a way to simply stop the rise and fall of an island in the ocean.
Sources:
Times of India
BBC News
Wikipedia
Vernon sank into the sea…
Once-inhabited islands in the Chesapease Bay are nearly all submerged now as well. What was once a thriving community is gone. People have moved on, but this seems to be happening in places across the world. Vernon – If you ever come back to this site after your rant, the Chesapeake bay sea level rise was not caused by the sea floor receding since the region is on a continental shelf. — Scientists are seeking knowledge about the natural world so that we can make informed choices about how we live on this planet. In fact they are trying to help make it a better place FOR humans. Don't demonize the lot because of a few.
this south talpatti island of bangaladesh is eastern side of haribhanga river.
There is great manipulation by the Media because they have an agenda. This agenda isn't truth it is to support the power of those that are manipulating a new order to fundimentally change not just the USA but the world. The green movement is now being taught like a religion and people have religious ferver for it. But it is a false religion suposeibly being supported by science but not by truth. Here and island is lost because of a sinking sea flore. It is obvious, just do the math. It apeared because of a rising sea floor 40 years ago. Was the reason the island appered because the sea leven went down? or did the bottom of the ocean just rise up. But the Media will preach with great zeal and give this as an example of the dangers of Global warming and mindless people who don't do the math, who never read the facts will simply take it as the gospel truth. It will be an illistration that will make up people's minds. Point of fact, the use of an illistration apart from the truth, aparet from true science that convinces people by religious zeal, and not by any truth at all. Just use a false example, and preach it to people who can not or will not check it out and you have them in your hand. Manipulated to follow, persuaded to take your point of view and support it. Worse the same mindless religious zelot will preach it themselves, just like they heard it. Sadly many in the Media are not those that check out any facts. They look for things that sould good to support what they want people to believe, and then speak it with the same zeal they heard it spoken by one who know better and purposely distorted the truth. It is crazy to think the Media are those who are the knowing false teacher. More often they are the mindless fools reapeating the propaganda of the decievers with out ever questioning or investiagting what is true, and so making reasonable conclusion basied on understanding is imposible for them. They write and report but the truth isn't even a part of what they do. They have an agenda, they have zeal for their agenda, and what ever will persuade others to their view is something they will use and spin to their advantage. There is good science, but you have to look if the scientest has an agenda, and clearly many reporting on global warming do. And they will take facts and miss represent them. It isn't a scientific issue, it is a social issure, a grab for power, a grab for riches making a society with the have's and the have-not's. Make the masses poor dependent on the governing Elete and you have power. Truth is their enemy. True science is their enemy, but when dealing with peole who want power and positions of respect, they will do what ever is necessary to gain and keep this self glory. Do you think those with the title of scientist care most about truth or for their reputation as being wise? They will give up truth and facts and the obvious direction of reasonable conclusion to protect or gain the fame of their reputation. If you want the truth and don't want to be lead by a sheep you must investigate true science, like in this article just do the math. See if the conclusions are valid, see if the article is being used to manipulate you or educate you, or you are in danger of being a programed fool who repeats the zeal and gives examples to support the claims that have nothing to do with what is real. Then if the one illistration is exposed as a poor example, they still feel emotionally secure, because they ahve many other. Support emotionally accepted as truth in the name of sciece and reason but lacking in both. So if they just have ten or twelve examples they can lose three or four and still feel secure they have the truth. See how it works, not reason, blind religion. And this is what Global warming is. Not taking time to spell check. Funny how I may be attacked as a fool myself because I am a poor speller, but if you are a truth seeker you may have found some here.
Vernon
Mike –
You are right, if the sea level had only risen 7.9 inches, New Moore Island would not have disappeared. However, as I talk about in the 4th paragraph, sea levels in the Bengal Basin have been going up by over 3 centimeters a year. New Moore Island was also particularly prone to "sinking" into the sea because it "appeared" just 40 years ago when a cyclone blew the water off the island.
In other words, sea levels do not rise evenly across the globe, and New Moore Island was in an area where they are rising much faster.
Wait a minute. How could rising seas be responsible?
Rate of sea rise until 2000: 3mm/yr.
Rate of sea rise after 2000: 5mm/yr.
Sea rise, 1950-2000: 150mm
Sea rise, 2000-2010: 50mm
200mm = 7.9 inches.
Maximum elevation of island: 2m or 79 inches (BBC)
An 8-inch rise in sea levels will not cover an island whose maximum elevation is 10 times greater. Simple erosion or seafloor subsidence seem a much more likely cause, though of course that in turn erodes the sexy "global warming" narrative that the media uncritically reported in this case.