Abstract
Purpose Pahang beaches draw more than thousand visitors throughout the year. From the year 2006 to 2018, more than 30 drowning and near-drowning cases were recorded mainly from rip currents. Rip currents are defined as unexpected currents that carried beachgoers away to seaward direction more than approximately 50 m from shore. The prediction of rip current development is very important for the protection of human life. This study aims to conduct preliminary survey and field works to identify rip current hazards. Design/methodology/approach The output would be an early warning preventative mitigation to public in Pahang. Beach state model, dimensionless fall velocity, littoral environment observation and relative tidal range were recorded for five recreational beaches during two different months (March and April 2018). The morphodynamic parameters such sediment fall velocity, sediment grain size and beach slope are then analysed using software PROFILER. Classification of risks was done based on beach morphodynamic model. The morphodynamics are classified as low tide bar rip, barred and low tide terrace associated with rip current, bar dissipative, reflective, non-bar dissipative, low tide terrace and ultra-dissipative. Findings Result shows three out of five recreational beaches may develop high-risk rip currents. During the first month of the survey, Batu Hitam (BH) was recorded the only one recreational beach that may develop high-risk rip current followed by Teluk Cempedak (TC) and Kempadang (KEM) as middle-risk rip current beaches, while Balok (BA) and Sepat (SEP) as low-risk rip current beaches. Different during second month of the survey, BA, BH and SEP were recorded as high-risk rip current beaches while TC and KEM as low-risk rip current beaches. Originality/value The results are consistent with beach incidents (drowning and near-drowning) reported.
Highlights
Beaches are potentially hazardous to people as beach goers, swimmers and bathers enter the surf zone that is considered as a no man’s land in many coastal countries that need to be avoided at all cost
The coastline of study area is located at the east coast peninsular Malaysia facing the South China Sea
This study identified five recreational beaches along the South China Sea, namely, BA, Batu Hitam (BH), Teluk Cempedak (TC), KEM and SEP
Summary
Beaches are potentially hazardous to people as beach goers, swimmers and bathers enter the surf zone that is considered as a no man’s land in many coastal countries that need to be avoided at all cost. Beach hazard is among the element of the coastal environment that exposes public to harm and hazardous events. According to Short and Hogan (1994), hazards could be any phenomena or event that threats people life and their activity. Every beach has specific physical characteristics in contributing to the harmful hazard to public. Short and Hogan (1994) have listed those five physical characteristics as: water depth, surf zone and beach topography, surf zone current, breaking wave and local hazard such as tidal current, reef structure, offshore wind and rocky shore platform Every beach has specific physical characteristics in contributing to the harmful hazard to public. Short and Hogan (1994) have listed those five physical characteristics as: water depth, surf zone and beach topography, surf zone current, breaking wave and local hazard such as tidal current, reef structure, offshore wind and rocky shore platform
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