Dig Deeper：Marshall Islands - a submerging nation?

【明報專訊】Can you imagine 40% of the buildings in Hong Kong flooded and buried under the sea? It is not the case in Hong Kong, but a recent report from the World Bank suggests that a Pacific country, the Marshall Islands(馬紹爾群島), will face severe flooding issues in the foreseeable future.

With a 1-meter sea level rise, 40% of the buildings in the capital of that nation will be permanently inundated and 96% of the area with a population of 20,000 are prone to frequent flooding. It is estimated that the country is at risk of disappearing due to sea level rise.

◆What is the total area of the Marshall Islands?

180 square kilometers. Unlike Hong Kong, the Marshall Islands consist of 1156 individual islands.

◆How large is the population of Marshall Islands?

59,194, according to statistics from the World Bank.

◆Where is the Marshall Islands?

It is a country located near the Equator in the north Pacific. Majuro is the capital and the largest city.

■Gear up

96% of the area in the Marshall Islands is covered by the ocean. (True/False)

(Answers on next text)

■Glossary

severe (adj) 嚴重的

foreseeable (adj) 可見的

permanently (adv) 永久地

inundate (v) 淹沒

[Smarties' Power English 第329期]