Brief Communication: A new perspective on the Australian rip current hazard

Rip currents are strong, narrow offshore flows of water which occur on many of the world's beaches and represent a serious hazard to bathers. In Australia, rip currents account for an average of 21 confirmed human fatalities per year. Based on an analysis of the longest existing data records, r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNatural hazards and earth system sciences Vol. 13; no. 6; pp. 1687 - 1690
Main Authors Brander, R, Dominey-Howes, D, Champion, C, Del Vecchio, O, Brighton, B
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Katlenburg-Lindau Copernicus GmbH 28.06.2013
Copernicus Publications
Subjects
Australia
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Summary:Rip currents are strong, narrow offshore flows of water which occur on many of the world's beaches and represent a serious hazard to bathers. In Australia, rip currents account for an average of 21 confirmed human fatalities per year. Based on an analysis of the longest existing data records, rip currents account for more human fatalities in Australia on average each year than bushfires, floods, and cyclones combined. This finding raises important questions regarding the levels of attention placed on the low intensity, but high frequency rip current hazard in relation to high profile and episodic natural hazards.
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ISSN:1684-9981
1561-8633
1684-9981
DOI:10.5194/nhess-13-1687-2013