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Living by a stormy beach
Living by the beach has many attractions, but it can also bring dangers when storm waves are about.
In the past, most people built their homes in sheltered estuaries away from the fierce winter storms (picture ).
Today, more people want to live beside the seaside, and many want to live right next to the beach. But although this can be safe, in general the rule is: the closer you are to the sea, the more dangerous it is.
Beaches and islands
Beaches and low-lying coastal islands are made of sand (picture 2). They were built by waves, and can easily be reshaped by waves. People who live on sandy islands therefore put themselves at risk.
Stormy seas are much higher than normal seas, so floods, as well as waves, become a real danger for people living close to beaches (picture 3). When storm winds blow, the level of the sea is much higher than normal. Furthermore, the waves can pick up and carry stones. A combination of high tide, storm waves and crashing pebbles can be terrifyingly destructive.
E 2 It is very attractive to live beside
the sea, with the beach outside your front door. But in stormy weather this is a very dangerous place to be. When storm waves batter houses, stones are thrown against buildings and sea levels rise, causing floods. If the sand is washed away, the buildings may lose all of their foundations and collapse. The weather map shows a hurricane off the coast of the United States.
G  This is what living beside the sea used to mean: a sheltered harbour out of the direct line of storms (Staithes, North Yorkshire).
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