Scientists say that coastal erosion in Chile could wipe out 10 beaches in a decade.

According to a group of scientists, the central and southern coasts of Chile, which stretch for thousands (miles) on the Pacific Ocean, are at risk of erosion, which could lead to the disappearance or 10 beaches within the next decade.

In an interview conducted this month at the Renaca Beach near Vina del Mar, the director of the Coastal Observatory of Universidad Catolica said, "It's going to be very hard for these beaches in the next 10 year,"

Her team tracked erosion at 67 beaches and found that 86% of them are shrinking steadily -- even in spring and summer when they usually recover.

The rate of erosion has doubled in the ten areas that already experienced high erosion rates in 2023.

Martinez stated that the causes of the epidemic are both human-made and natural.

She cited climate change as a major factor, pointing to the increasing frequency and intensity of swells, rising sea levels, downpours and heatwaves. Urbanization unchecked and degradation of river basins, which supply sand along the coast, have also played a role.

Storm surges in Puerto Saavedra have created sinkholes on cliffs and roads, preventing some communities from accessing the area. Saltwater also damages forests.

Martinez stated that "we're noticing cliffs and sand shores receding rapidly."

Local businesses in tourist-friendly towns are already feeling its impact. Maria Harris, owner of a beachfront Valparaiso restaurant, said that last year was brutal. "The beach disappeared." "There was no distance between us and our sea."

Construction continues along the coast, sometimes near dunes and wetlands. Martinez warns that the effects go beyond the environmental.

She said, "We are transferring the costs of these disasters onto people, including fishermen, coastal communities and the tourism industry." (Reporting and writing by Nicolas Cortes, Carolina Fernandez and Daina Beth Solon and Lucinda Elliot; editing by Sandra Maler).

(source: Reuters)