L’exposition des populations des atolls de Rangiroa et de Tikehau (Polynésie française) au risque de submersion marine

This paper characterizes the current exposure of people leaving on the low-lying atoll reef islands to the risk of marine inundation induced by various sea-related hazards (i.e. cyclones, distant swells and local storms). It offers one of the rare scientific studies that go beyond the general assert...

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Main Authors: Alexandre K. Magnan, Marien Ranché, Virginie K.E. Duvat, Adrien Prenveille, Fanny Rubia
Format: Article
Language:fra
Published: Éditions en environnement VertigO 2018-12-01
Series:VertigO
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/vertigo/23607
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author Alexandre K. Magnan
Marien Ranché
Virginie K.E. Duvat
Adrien Prenveille
Fanny Rubia
author_facet Alexandre K. Magnan
Marien Ranché
Virginie K.E. Duvat
Adrien Prenveille
Fanny Rubia
author_sort Alexandre K. Magnan
collection DOAJ
description This paper characterizes the current exposure of people leaving on the low-lying atoll reef islands to the risk of marine inundation induced by various sea-related hazards (i.e. cyclones, distant swells and local storms). It offers one of the rare scientific studies that go beyond the general assertion on atoll populations’ exposure to sea-related hazards, by bringing empirically based and detailed evidence on real exposure today. The paper builds on case studies in the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia, and combines two main types of data, i.e. the inundation levels of past events, and the management practices implemented by both inhabitants and public authorities (type of housing and coastal protection devices). The total sample is composed of 106 interviews and 931 studied houses. The results show first, that more than 61% of houses are located in an area that experienced at least one substantial marine inundation event since the 1980s. Second, that when inhabitants implement options to face coastal risks, they rather target coastal erosion (seawalls, rip-raps, vegetation plantation, etc.) than marine inundation. They only address the risk of marine inundation through housing standard, i.e. buildings’ elevation. This option however remains limited as 52% and 23% of houses have floor elevations less than 50 cm and 20 cm high, respectively. As a result, the population exhibits a high level of exposure to marine flooding. Exploring the root causes of such a situation, the paper emphasises the contributions of both the population growth that occurred over the past three decades and the constraining land tenure system to the increase in houses and public buildings density in flood-prone areas. Then the paper discusses pragmatic and realistic ways to decrease population exposure in the near future.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 1492-8442
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publisher Éditions en environnement VertigO
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spelling doaj-art-84e3f330ccef49ee82cfec85498328732025-01-09T12:36:14ZfraÉditions en environnement VertigOVertigO1492-84422018-12-0118310.4000/vertigo.23607L’exposition des populations des atolls de Rangiroa et de Tikehau (Polynésie française) au risque de submersion marineAlexandre K. MagnanMarien RanchéVirginie K.E. DuvatAdrien PrenveilleFanny RubiaThis paper characterizes the current exposure of people leaving on the low-lying atoll reef islands to the risk of marine inundation induced by various sea-related hazards (i.e. cyclones, distant swells and local storms). It offers one of the rare scientific studies that go beyond the general assertion on atoll populations’ exposure to sea-related hazards, by bringing empirically based and detailed evidence on real exposure today. The paper builds on case studies in the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia, and combines two main types of data, i.e. the inundation levels of past events, and the management practices implemented by both inhabitants and public authorities (type of housing and coastal protection devices). The total sample is composed of 106 interviews and 931 studied houses. The results show first, that more than 61% of houses are located in an area that experienced at least one substantial marine inundation event since the 1980s. Second, that when inhabitants implement options to face coastal risks, they rather target coastal erosion (seawalls, rip-raps, vegetation plantation, etc.) than marine inundation. They only address the risk of marine inundation through housing standard, i.e. buildings’ elevation. This option however remains limited as 52% and 23% of houses have floor elevations less than 50 cm and 20 cm high, respectively. As a result, the population exhibits a high level of exposure to marine flooding. Exploring the root causes of such a situation, the paper emphasises the contributions of both the population growth that occurred over the past three decades and the constraining land tenure system to the increase in houses and public buildings density in flood-prone areas. Then the paper discusses pragmatic and realistic ways to decrease population exposure in the near future.https://journals.openedition.org/vertigo/23607exposureFrench Polynesiacoastal risksmarine submersionAtolls
spellingShingle Alexandre K. Magnan
Marien Ranché
Virginie K.E. Duvat
Adrien Prenveille
Fanny Rubia
L’exposition des populations des atolls de Rangiroa et de Tikehau (Polynésie française) au risque de submersion marine
VertigO
exposure
French Polynesia
coastal risks
marine submersion
Atolls
title L’exposition des populations des atolls de Rangiroa et de Tikehau (Polynésie française) au risque de submersion marine
title_full L’exposition des populations des atolls de Rangiroa et de Tikehau (Polynésie française) au risque de submersion marine
title_fullStr L’exposition des populations des atolls de Rangiroa et de Tikehau (Polynésie française) au risque de submersion marine
title_full_unstemmed L’exposition des populations des atolls de Rangiroa et de Tikehau (Polynésie française) au risque de submersion marine
title_short L’exposition des populations des atolls de Rangiroa et de Tikehau (Polynésie française) au risque de submersion marine
title_sort l exposition des populations des atolls de rangiroa et de tikehau polynesie francaise au risque de submersion marine
topic exposure
French Polynesia
coastal risks
marine submersion
Atolls
url https://journals.openedition.org/vertigo/23607
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