Sinking islands

ONE notable good effect of this ongoing worldwide lockdown is a cleaner environment.

Reports point to cleaner air in once polluted cities, including Metro Manila. The ozone layer is said to be undergoing repair, according to reports.

To quote Republicworld.com: ‘Scientific experts revealed that the ozone layer has started to get better due to the current lockdown in major parts of the world.’’

It added that many images, including wild animals strolling on the streets, have been circulating all over social media as human activity decreased due to the lockdown.

One of the first victims of climate change is a chain of islets called Kiribati, a coral island nation across the Pacific Ocean, says a story by James Heer.

Consisting of 33 atolls and with a total land area of 811 square ki­lometers, it is seven hours away by plane from Australia, and 10 hours away from the US.

The coral islands are low and narrow strips of land that disap­pear when the tides are high. Temperatures are ever increas­ing, affecting agriculture.

Waves are getting higher, and the trees are dying. Sea levels are expected to rise by as much as two meters by the end of this century, sending shockwaves of fear among residents. Some vil­lages have been wiped out.

The people of Kiribati are afraid they have nowhere to go when the time comes that the sea completely overtakes them.

TRIVIA PA MORE (Various Sources): The Philippines is home to some of the world’s most exotic birds like the Philip­pine cockatoo, a type of parrot capable of mimicking human voices.

Send your questions on any­thing and everything to Kuya Kim through my Twitter account @kuyakim_atienza using #Ala­minKayKuyaKim.