Paper short abstract:

This paper focus on the problem of coastal erosion at Beira. Using historical sources from the Portuguese archives and comparisons with other cases in Africa and Europe, the authors address societal responses to the problem and point their key-role in the disaster.

Paper long abstract:

The city of Beira has serious problems of coastal erosion. Part of the urban area is being encroached by the sea and global climate change is considered a major threat to its future. More engineering works are being built to protect the city.

This is not a recent issue. The city was built in a mangrove and dune area, between the Pungwe River and the sea. Settling there was a challenge since the beginning. Founded by the Portuguese, in 1887, Beira started being affected by coastal erosion soon after their installation. The problem increased as the urban area expanded along the seaside in the 20th century. Technical knowledge was imported from the metropolis, where similar problems were affecting the coast. Like in other places, in Europe and Africa, facing coastal erosion, great efforts were made to cope with the disaster.

Based in historical sources from the Portuguese archives and secondary readings, this study addresses the measures adopted to solve coastal erosion, exploring how it affected Beira growth in the 20th century. It also aims to compare different approaches to the problem analyzing how the Portuguese and the British empires dealt with it in their homeland coasts and the colonies. The final goal is to reflect on human-environment relations in a long-term perspective, pointing different cultural responses to disaster and the unattended side-effects of human's agency. Pertinent issues to consider now that the sea mean level rise is menacing more cities and choices must be made.