Why in the News?
The Philippine island of Pugad in Manila Bay is facing an existential threat as rising sea levels and rapid land subsidence combine to submerge homes and livelihoods.
About Pugad Island:
- Overview: Small 7-hectare island in Manila Bay, situated at the mouth of the Angat–Pampanga River Delta, under Hagonoy municipality, Bulacan province, Philippines.
- Population: Home to about 1,636–2,056 residents, living in a single clustered village of roughly 384 houses.
- Livelihoods: Community depends on fishing and aquaculture, with families cultivating clams, mussels, and whiting fish in converted fishponds.
- Living Conditions: Houses built mainly from bamboo and old metal sheets, with poor sanitation, minimal healthcare facilities, and only elementary-level schooling.
- Flooding Challenge: Regularly hit by high-tide and monsoon floods, made worse by land subsidence (11 cm/year) and sea-level rise (three times global average).
- Environmental Hazards: Loss of mangroves, urban encroachment, and exposure to typhoons increase risks of disaster and displacement.
| [UPSC 2018] Which of the following has/have shrunk immensely/dried up in the recent past due to human activities?
1.Aral Sea 2.Black Sea 3.Lake Baikal Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 2 only (d) 1 and 3* |
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