It would happen, no later than 2080. The increase in sea level could cause seasonal waves to reach Ahu Tongariki, the iconic ceremonial platform of the world -famous Moáis de Rapa Nui. Yes, the sea could disappear Rapa Nui.
These coastal floods threaten 51 cultural goods of this Chilean island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. A study published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage says. It was conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Hawaii (UH) in Manoa.
Next disappearance
«For the community, these sites are essential to reaffirm identity and support the revitalization of traditions. Economically, they are the backbone of the island's tourism industry. If this threat is not addressed, the island could be in danger of its status as a World Heritage for UNESCO ». This was stated in a release Noah Paoa. He is the main author of the study and doctoral student of the Department of Earth Sciences.
Paoa and his team built a detailed digital twin of the study site. They used advanced computer models to simulate the swell environment along the coast. Subsequently, they mapped the projected floods caused by the waves in future stages to increase sea level. The extension of the flood was overlapping geospatial layers that contained the location of cultural goods, provided to the team by local partners. This allowed researchers to identify the cultural goods that would be flooded.
Inevitable
"Unfortunately, from a scientific point of view, the findings are not surprising," said Paoa. «We know that the increase in sea level represents a direct threat to the coast worldwide. The crucial question was not if the site would be affected, but how quickly and with what gravity. Our work aimed to establish possible deadlines to wait for impacts to occur ».
The finding that the waves could reach Ahu Tongariki by 2080 provides specific data. It is urgent and necessary to encourage community debate and planning for the future.
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