I think this is an alarmist imagery of what daily life will be on coastal cities of Japan (such as Tokyo) should global warming result in raised sea levels.
(late to the pool) I see people doing little things (drying wet socks, teru teru bouzu) and carrying on with life as though nothing was wrong when a disaster stares them in the face. I think this is partly satire, mostly social commentary.
(Or it could be resilience, enduring normalcy in the face of change, but somehow I kinda doubt it.)
Alignn said: I figured it was the "swamp of ennui".
I like that one. It makes better sense. People doing what they can to survive it, some drowning (or almost drowning) in it, some just getting through the day, some having given up, and some trying to make the best of the situation. It works on many levels.
In hindsight I don't know what was so puzzling about this image, it's just a complaint about those ridiculously wet/humid days where nothing feels properly dry.