How is Climate Change impacting Hog Island?

Did you know that over 250 people lived on an island off the Virginia Coast in the Chesapeake Bay called Hog Island? All of those people lived in a small town called Broadwater. Broadwater had a person who operated a guard station and a lighthouse. All of these people lived on the island when the soil was still there.

In 1871, Hog Island was good! But in 2022, there was a huge difference in the change and physical appearance of the island. See the image below for yourself.

Buddy Bell is a person who was born on this island. He was a former resident of this island. After a devastating hurricane hit his island and damaged houses and many things, most of the families living on the island moved away to other nearby cities.

According to Bell’s family and other Hog Islanders, Oyster which is a city in VA is being threatened by rapid sea level rise. The sea levels rose by 1 foot according to Bell’s family which is all caused by human climate change. Some other cities which include the same include Venice. Venice is being sunk underwater and if we don’t stop climate change, Venice and other cities like Hog Island could be sunk underwater before 2100!

The ocean has risen over 1 foot in a human lifetime! Because of our actions towards Mother Earth, this is sadly going to increase. The ocean levels will increase at a rapid rate causing more destruction worldwide.

There are many tides that are occurring across the east coast and the sea levels are rising. 15 sites in the entire USA are experiencing rapid sea rising! The main contributor to the ocean rising is Polar Ice melting. Polar Ice Melting has always been blamed by the people for cities going underwater and warming waters. A new study shows that a hotspot in the ocean 250 miles off the coast of Virginia has been contributing to ocean problems there.

The changes in ocean circulation are contributing to many ocean problems like excessive heat, ocean rising, and flooding. Oyster in Hog Island sits on a hotspot and the waters are warm.

The population in the islands changed and collapsed in the 1960s and 80s because of problems like overfishing and disease spreading. This forever changed the island. Right now, Oyster is a normal quiet island with a few homes and businesses.

We have to stop climate change as it’s associated with many problems!

Author: Sri Nihal Tammana

Source and PC: The Washington Post