Persistent Inundation: A Chronicle of Relentless Flooding Events
In the heart of the Philippines, the city of Macabebe in Pampanga is grappling with a pressing issue - land subsidence and flooding. Over the past decade and a half, the ground in Macabebe has subsided an average of one and a half meters[6].
This sinking is primarily attributed to excessive groundwater extraction, a phenomenon that has become increasingly prevalent in the area due to factors such as the rise in industrial facilities and artificial ponds for fish farming[7]. This extraction lowers the water table, causing the soil and land above to compact and sink over time.
The continuous flooding reported is a direct result of this subsidence. Lower land elevation increases vulnerability to water accumulation during heavy rains or monsoons[4][5]. While official disaster reports emphasize flood impacts in the region due to monsoon and tropical systems, local visual evidence and community reports highlight subsidence and flood risks compounded by this sinking effect[1][2].
Residents like Maria Nerissa Laguindanum have been affected severely. To prevent her house from being underwater, she has had to fill it with concrete, an expense of around 100,000 Philippine Pesos (about 1,500 Euros)[3]. Many areas in towns like Macabebe remain permanently flooded, even outside of July[5].
The old town in the central area of Macabebe has been affected by land subsidence for a long time, causing changes in buildings like the church and sports hall[1]. Local governments have banned uncontrolled groundwater extraction, but wealthy pond owners often evade inspections[1].
Experts like Jolly Sulapas, a geologist, are trying to understand the root causes of this issue. She suspects that the extraction of groundwater is a significant cause of land subsidence in Macabebe[7]. Jolly questions the claims that people should not touch the ground in Macabebe, as the town hall reports that freshwater can only be found by drilling down 180 meters[8].
The subsiding ground in Macabebe exacerbates the vulnerability of the town, especially during floods and storms due to rising sea levels caused by climate change. In fact, a 2022 study found that one-third of 99 coastal cities worldwide have subsided, many of them at five times the rate of sea level rise[9].
Located on the northern edge of the Manila metropolitan area and in the Pampanga Delta, one of the largest river mouths on Luzon, Macabebe's future is at risk. Whole cities in the Philippines threaten to sink due to the subsiding ground, with millions of people potentially affected in the foreseeable future[5].
References: 1. [Link to reference 1] 2. [Link to reference 2] 3. [Link to reference 3] 4. [Link to reference 4] 5. [Link to reference 5] 6. [Link to reference 6] 7. [Link to reference 7] 8. [Link to reference 8] 9. [Link to reference 9]
- The ongoing groundwater extraction in Macabebe, a city in the Philippines, is not only affecting local health-and-wellness by causing flooding but also has implications for environmental-science, as it contributes to land subsidence, which is worsened by climate change and sea level rise.
- Jolly Sulapas, a geologist, suggests that the increasing prevalence of land subsidence in Macabebe, a pressing issue that can be directly linked to the rise in industrial facilities and artificial ponds for fish farming, is a significant cause, and her research falls under both the field of climate-change studies and environmental-science.
