Many families in my community live very close to the ocean which is especially challenging during the typhoon season. “Typhoon” is another word for hurricane, applied commonly to areas in Asia. The intensity and frequency of the typhoons are increased as a result of climate change, especially apparent in countries like the Philippines.
During the typhoon season, houses here are vulnerable to heavy rains, strong winds and large waves that encroach very close to the land. The rainy season is both physically dangerous, and threatening to livelihood opportunities like fishing. During strong rainy periods, fisherfolk are unable to fish from their boats or the shoreline. Likewise, physical structures for fishing like stationary (unmoving) traps or lambaklads (indigenous fishing platforms) can be destroyed by strong waves. For local beach resorts, too, the aftermath of typhoons is damaging to tourism opportunities. Flooded and messy beachfronts attract far fewer tourists, and those willing to visit storm-damaged areas might be obstructed by damaged roads and bridges.
This fall, in my community, sections of a recently constructed sea wall were badly battered by typhoons. Sea walls are intended to protect coastal homes from storm surges (sea water moving onto the land) but are often damaged by strong storms. As a protective measure, sea walls can be quite controversial. Although they are designed to protect the homes of fisherfolk, the large concrete structures also reduce space on the shoreline for fishers to dock their boats. In some cases, chunks of fallen seawall might pose threats to nearby coral reefs or seagrass beds.
