INTERNEWSTIMES.COM – Brazil’s coastline is facing a crisis as rising sea levels, fueled by climate change, are eroding the land at an alarming rate. In Atafona, a community north of Rio de Janeiro, 500 homes have been destroyed by the relentless advance of the ocean.
Sonia Ferreira, an 80-year-old retiree, lost her home, built 45 years ago, to the relentless waves. She was forced to abandon her home before it was completely destroyed in 2022.
Sea levels in the Atafona region have risen by 13 centimeters over the past 30 years and are projected to rise another 16 centimeters by 2050.
Atafona is not alone. Other coastal areas in Brazil are also experiencing significant erosion. Ponta Negra, one of the most popular beach resorts in northeastern Brazil, has lost 15 meters of white sand in the last two decades.
At the mouth of the mighty Amazon River, a fragile ecosystem is threatened with biodiversity loss as the river experiences its most severe drought on record, allowing saltwater from the ocean to advance upstream.
Experts warn that the loss of land in coastal towns and beaches is inevitable as sea levels rise. They criticize the lack of adaptation in city planning to address this looming crisis. (Red)
