150 Heightening Pressures in Low-Lying Areas On every full moon when the highest king tide hits, the tarmac on the runway of Tuvalu’s only airport floats away from its coral base. Water bubbles up through the porous island terrain, pushing it above the surface. “They have to drive bulldozers down the runway to get it back on the ground before any plane can land,” Pichel said. “The conversations we were having a year ago versus now are a world apart.” With the digital twin, a flood model can be automatically created and overlaid with a population map. This awareness helps leaders assess changing conditions, engage residents in the crisis, and help everyone make informed decisions about their future. The PLACE team worked with locals to fly a vertical takeoff and landing drone to capture high-resolution aerial imagery.
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