Schoolchildren walk on a road submerged by sea water at Timbulsloko village in Indonesia. Indonesian teacher Sulkan reminisces about the marching band and smiling children who graduated from his kindergarten, standing on a road that is now underwater. This is just one of many landmarks in Timbulsloko that have been swallowed by rising tides, forcing residents to adapt to a new life on the water. Over 200 people are still residing in one of Indonesia’s fastest sinking areas, which has transformed from lush rice paddies to a network of boardwalks and canoes—a distressing indication of how climate change could disrupt coastal communities worldwide. “It’s only memories now…there are no such activities anymore because the place is already flooded by the tide,” said Sulkan, a 49-year-old teacher who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name. Rising sea levels, coastal erosion, excessive groundwater extraction, and the cutting down of mangroves for fishing ponds in the 1990s have drastically altered the lives of Timbulsloko residents. Water has reached up to five kilometers inland, and the sinking rate has doubled since 2010, with some areas sinking by 20 centimeters annually. As the floods worsen, residents have raised the floors of their homes and installed wooden decks to stay dry. However, this has led to shrinking space, and the villagers must now stoop low to enter their homes and avoid hitting their heads. The future looks dire for Timbulsloko. While large parts of Jakarta are also at risk of being submerged by 2050, the villagers on the Javan coast are currently on the front lines of the crisis. The struggle to adapt continues, as residents face difficulties in daily tasks like buying groceries or taking their children to school due to flooded roads. Climate change will only worsen the situation, and the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that a two-degree Celsius temperature increase could raise sea levels by 43 centimeters in the next century. The village cemetery has already been raised to prevent sinking, and a crowdfunding effort has resulted in a boardwalk to connect houses and provide access to loved ones’ graves. Timbulsloko’s younger generation seeks refuge outside their homes, trying to escape the floods that have become a regular part of their lives. Despite the challenges, the villagers refuse to give up. Sulkan intends to stay and keep his kindergarten open, continuing to educate children like those who once stood on the now-submerged road. “As long as there are still neighbors and houses, I’m staying here,” he affirms.
Indonesian Residents in Sinking Village Compelled to Embrace Change
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