Flood fear for future of Hawaii beach

Hawaii’s iconic Waikiki Beach could soon be underwater, it has been warned, as rising sea levels caused by climate change overtake its white sand beaches.

Local politicians are trying to approve funding for a mutli-million pound coastal protection plan, with predictions that Honolulu will start experiencing frequent flooding within the next 15 to 20 years.

The highest tides of recent years have sent seawater flowing across Waikiki Beach, while predictive models suggest the area will be hit by extensive flooding, coastal erosion and loss of infrastructure in coming decades.

“The latest data on sea level rise is quite scary and it’s accelerating faster than we ever thought possible,” said representative Chris Lee, lead author of a bill calling for the creation and implementation of the shoreline protection plan.

The project would focus on urban Honolulu but act as a pilot program for other coastal communities around the state.