Coastal Hazards
What is Coastal flooding?
This hazard happens when ocean water spills onto land
What is marine debris?
Human-made materials like plastic and metal found in the ocean
They can pull swimmers away from shore
What is a tsunami?
A series of powerful ocean waves often caused by earthquakes
What environmental process caused by climate change increases coastal flooding longterm?
Rising sea levels can increase this hazard
What is beach erosion?
Sand is carried away by waves and wind
What is an oil spill?
This hazard is caused by the release of oil into the ocean
What should you do if you get caught in a rip current?
If you get caught in a rip current, you should stay calm and swim parallel (alongside) the shore
What is tsunami debris?
These are the type of debris left behind after a tsunami?
What is the difference between sea and ocean levels?
"ocean level" refers to the broader, global height of the ocean basins, while "sea level" is a localized measurement used to calculate topographic elevation (how high or low a piece of land is compared to a flat baseline, which is usually mean sea level) and coastal water heights.
What is a rip current?
A narrow channel of fast-moving water flowing away from shore
What are tankers, pipelines and oil rigs examples of?
Sources of an oil spill
What environmental processes contribute to beach erosion?
Waves and strong winds
What type of earthquake process causes tsunamis?
The earthquake process that causes tsunamis is sudden vertical displacement of the seafloor. When a massive undersea earthquake occurs, it thrusts or drops large sections of the earth's crust, violently displacing the entire overlying water column and creating massive waves
What causes coastal flooding?
Coastal flooding happens when normally dry land is temporarily covered by ocean water. It is primarily caused by storm surges, high tides, and sea-level rise. The worst flooding usually occurs when these three factors happen at the same time.
What are 3 examples of marine debris?
Clothing, Plastics, Metals
What is the difference between a shore and a coast?
A shore is the specific land that directly borders any body of water (oceans, lakes, or rivers). A coast is a broader, larger-scale geographic region where the land meets the ocean
What are 4 examples of tsunami debris?
Plants, Garbage, Animals, Human Property
What is and what causes sea-level rise?
Sea level rise is the long-term increase in the average global height of the ocean's surface relative to the land. It is driven primarily by human-caused global warming, which traps heat in the atmosphere, increases global temperatures, and fundamentally alters the world's oceans
What is and what causes marine habitat loss?
Marine habitat loss is the degradation or destruction of ocean and coastal environments—such as coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds—to the point where they can no longer support native marine life. This crisis is primarily driven by human activities like coastal development, destructive fishing, pollution, and climate change.
What are microplastics?
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in length. They come from the degradation of larger consumer items or are intentionally manufactured in small sizes (ecosmetic microbeads - toothpaste). Because plastics don't fully decompose, these particles now contaminate oceans, drinking water, food, and air worldwide
Which beach has the notorious rep for the worst rip currents in Nova Scotia?
While rip currents can occur at any exposed ocean beach, Lawrencetown Beach (on the Eastern Shore near Halifax) is widely considered to have some of the most consistent and treacherous rip currents in Nova Scotia.
Because of its high exposure to open ocean swells, it is heavily favored by surfers but is notoriously hazardous for swimmers.
How many Tsunamis have hit Nova Scotia across history?
Nova Scotia has only recorded one major, documented tsunami in its history.
This event occurred on November 18, 1929, triggered by the magnitude 7.2 Grand Banks earthquake and massive underwater landslide off the southern coast of Newfoundland.
(A 7.2 earthquake releases the equivalent of roughly 500,000 tons of TNT exploding all at once underground)
(Standing on the ground during a 7.2 earthquake feels like trying to stand upright on a large trampoline while three people are jumping aggressively next to you.)
The resulting tsunami hit Newfoundland with devastating force, and its subsequent waves reached Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, where it caused one fatality
If all the hazards on this board were suspects in a mystery, I'm the one most often linked to climate change. Which hazard am I?
Coastal Flooding