The elders had called for a meeting.
I have no idea what they talked about with the other important people of the village because I wasn't allowed to be there, but Grandpa managed to tell me the gist of it as he hurriedly packed our things (he insists to pack lightly, just take the things that we really, really need) before ushering me out of our home.
Apparently, he and some of the other elders had argued with the current village Chief that they should pack up and leave the village and then, retreat further somewhere inland to the mountains. But the others had laughed and mocked their idea, calling them a bunch of superstitious and senile fools.
Most of the elders had no longer believed in their years-long tradition, I realized this much later, the younger ones that have been put into authority even more so.