Placencia Beaches Are Disappearing As Coastal Erosion Worsens

Placencia is fighting to save its coastline, and sargassum is only part of the problem. Coastal erosion is steadily swallowing beaches, threatening homes, businesses and tourism. Residents say stretches of sand that once extended sixty feet from property markers have virtually disappeared. With both threats closing in, the question is whether enough is being done to protect Placencia before more of its coastline washes away.

 

Brice Dial, Vice Chair, Placencia Village Council

“Sargassum isn’t our only issue and we also have the coastal erosion and they kind of go hand in hand. So I think the same thing for a lot of people that haven’t been in Placencia for years. When they purchased, you know, they saw their beach maybe like 60 feet out from the property marker and now it’s to the property marker and while growing up in Placencia you know the beach comes and goes, but it’s never been this drastic before. So what we’re facing now is, you know, it’s just it’s a lot with the sargassum and the coastal erosion. We’re trying to battle two huge issues at the same time and at the village council level we get very little funding.”

 

Felica Cruz, Chair, Sargassum Task Force

“There has been a lot of erosion occurring in coastal areas. We actually have established a national erosion committee. The committee has been diligently working on developing a roadmap that looks at short-term, medium-term, and long-term solutions. And coincidentally, the issue regarding sargassum is an important component that needs to also be monitored when it comes to erosion. And so there is some works that we’re also looking to pursue as it relates to erosion management, specifically for the Placencia Peninsula, where we have conducted research and we do have an understanding in terms of what is needed for us to really nourish that beach and to ensure that it is maintained with some integrity.”

 

One environmental consultant has informed us that the World Bank has already agreed to divert ten million dollars from an already approved project to invest in sargassum and beach erosion mitigation.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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