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MLA Launches King Tide WhatsApp initiative
With a predicted increase in King Tides in the coming days and an announcement by the Department of the Environment (DOE) requesting information from affected residents and areas, Newlands MLA Mr. Suckoo has created a WhatsApp Group which will be used to gather and share information submitted by residents which can be used by the DOE to address the growing concerns related to the unusually high tides and flooding of low-lying areas.
Mr. Suckoo has requested the assistance of Government Minister Hon. Joseph Hew to address sea water inundation in his constituency, and was grateful that some proactive work, such as road resurfacing and heightening, was done in 2019 which has alleviated some of the flooding concerns for the time being.
Mr. Suckoo however remains concerned that while his constituents have been given temporary relief, the problem will persist or worsen as global sea levels continue to rise.
He stated, “This is not a local problem and I have no doubt that rising sea-levels has played a significant role in making this problem worse, and if the trend continues we need to be proactive and find ways to address the problem, because it is impacting properties in the area.”.
Mr. Suckoo added that, “I am also very grateful that the DOE is taking the problem seriously and that they are taking proactive steps to ensure that we find ways to deal with it.
This is not just a Newlands issue, and I am inviting everyone living in coastal low-lying areas to join the group and share whatever information they can when the tides are impacting them, so that the DOE can make proper assessments and propose solutions based on real data.”.
To join the group residents can visit Mr. Suckoos’ Facebook and Instagram Pages where a link will be provided.
Members of the DOE will also be added to the group and Mr. Suckoo is suggesting that residents post pictures and videos taken in affected areas, along with the date, time and location.
Mr. Suckoo is encouraging participation by as many residents as possible, he states, “Reliable data related to this problem is very much needed and I am encouraging everyone to participate so that the DOE can progress their work armed with this information.”.
Interested persons can join the WhatsApp group “King Tide Information” using the following link:
