Sunday, October 23, 2016

Cambodia's villagers lose ground – literally – to Singapore's expansion...

Singapore is a long way from this remote Cambodian fishing village – nearly a thousand miles across the sea. But as the bustling city-state grows, Koh Sralav and hamlets like it die. All because of sand.

Singapore is expanding; its land reclamation projects make it the largest sand importer in the world. Politically connected Cambodian firms have rushed to meet the demand. Local fishermen, and one of Southeast Asia’s largest mangrove forests, are paying the price.

Sand dredgers have deepened the shallow estuaries around this village by several meters. That has created strong currents which have eaten away at the riverbanks, destroying long stretches of mangrove.

The crabs and fish that once lived among the mangrove roots, the mainstay of most family economies around here, are disappearing. Full story...

Related posts:
  1. Singapore's surging growth straining geographical limits...
  2. Sand for Singapore's growth comes at environmental cost to poorer neighbors...
  3. Singapore's sand wars... 
  4. Singapore accused of stealing beaches and starting "sand wars..."
  5. Singapore looks underground for more room...
  6. In Jamaica they steal ... beaches!!!

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