Mr Oldham said if the atoll were to collapse, radioactive material would be released into the Pacific Ocean, and could cause a 15-metre tsunami.

“We are keen to see the country make a transition to democracy,” Mr Carr said. “We’ll make a decision on the lifting of the sanctions when it’s clear the commitment to democracy is irreversible.”

Initiatives have been launched by the Australian government to empower women and girls of the Pacific island nations.

Torres Strait council’s engineer, Mr McGuire, says sea walls are not the only answer to the damage arising from sea level rising.

Climate change remains one of the greatest threats to the Pacific people, along with the devastating effects of non-communicable disease (NCD.)