Lara Muara

Zulkifli (Freelance Documentary Photographer, Padang)

Unwittingly, climate change has become a huge problem for the Earth. It begins with the rising sea level which causes widespread abrasion along the coasts. Tidal waves caused by hurricanes and tides are ready to destroy everything around them. This situation has become a serious threat to people who inhabit islands around the world. Indonesia, which is made of 16,056 islands, is no exception.

The northern coast of Java Island is one of the regions with the worst impact caused by abrasion in Indonesia. In the last 15 years, 6,000 hectares of land disappeared due to coastal erosion. As a result, the villages located near the northern coast are getting smaller each year. The condition has forced its villagers to adapt to these environmental changes.

In the past, the villagers of Desa Pantai Bahagia were at the highest point of their life. Their fishponds produced a lot of fish which were quite sought after. Many boats from the coast of Jakarta were crowding their village to buy the fish fresh from the ponds. Desa Pantai Bahagia, which is located in the northern region of Bekasi, used to be called Kampung Dolar. The nickname refers to how a lot of people were buying their fish. Unfortunately, the tidal waves have disturbed their peaceful life.

The calamity began twelve years ago during a flood that shook the entire village. Tidal waves were relentlessly hitting the villagers’ front doors. Many fishponds were drowned by the waves. Mosques and school buildings were destroyed and the shore was slowly yet surely moving closer to the residential area. Half of the villagers’ lives were wrecked by the massive flooding.

The village becomes a vulnerable target for tidal waves that may come and go anytime. Some of the villagers chose to move away and live somewhere else, but some decided to stay at their birthplace. Those who still live there to this day serve as a reminder of how climate change is causing pain and sorrow.

Desa Pantai Bahagia is a wake-up call for us and for the entire world to be even more attentive to the environment around us.