Coastal tribes may soon have more money to move to higher ground in Washington state

The federal government is just a step away from approving relocation money for three Native American coastal tribes in Washington state.

The Hoh Tribe, Quileute Tribe and Quinault Indian Nation are at risk of tsunamis and disastrous flooding. It's a problem that's worsening as climate change advances.

On Wednesday, the U.S. House approved about $3.6 million in new funding to help them relocate to higher ground.

Hoh Tribal Chairwoman Lisa Martinez says this allotment would mean a lot.

"I hate to see the lower village how it is," Martinez says. "Because I used to live down there and my grandmother used to live down there, and there's two homes that nobody lives in. But every year it's just getting eaten away by the high tide, the river and the ocean at the same time."