Potential in-Situ Adaptation Strategies for Climate-Related Sea-Level Rise: Insights from a Small Island in The Philippines Experiencing EarthquakeInduced Land Subsidence

Abstract

In October 2013, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck the province of Bohol, Philippines and induced land subsidence to some of its small island communities, causing them to now experience over-flooding during normal spring tides. The present research discusses the recovery experience and adaptation strategies of one of these island communities, Isla Batasan, which suffers from knee-level, complete inundation during +2.0m high tides. The results indicate that, although the local government is encouraging Isla Batasan residents to relocate to the mainland via a government-funded permanent relocation program, residents have preferred to remain on the island due to concerns regarding livelihood opportunities. Instead, residents have initiated a self-help approach to flood risk management via raising the floors of their homes, school, church and road in the island. However, if not properly supported, such efforts may inadvertently lead to other problems, such as environmental degradation due to the use of coral stones as materials for raising floors. As the practical flooding effects of earthquake-induced land subsidence and climate-related sea-level rise are the same, these findings from Isla Batasan suggest that residents of low-lying island states will probably also initially learn how to live with floods rather than immediately relocate, especially if the relocation scheme does not suit their needs.