Jamaica’s world renowned 7-mile beach is eroding at an alarming rate!
Every year thousands of tourists from around the world are drawn to this beautiful shoreline filled with white sand along Jamaica’s western coast.
But now this unique shoreline of unrivaled beauty known as Seven Mile Beach is facing a serious threat that could see the beach completely disappear in as little as 30 years.
According to a report by Fox News, some sections of the beach are now barely wide enough for a decent-sized beach towel and according to the Jamaican National Environment and Planning Agency, sand is receding at a rate of over a metre each year.
“The beach could be totally lost within 30 years,” said Anthony McKenzie, a senior director at the agency.
Shrinking coastline long has raised worry for the area’s environmental and economic future. Now the erosion is expected to worsen as a result of climate change.
Fearful of losing their main draw, some alarmed hoteliers in the area are pressing the government to refill the beach with dredged sand, a pricey step many experts say is a temporary fix at best.
Plans are being readied to build submerged breakwaters which theoretically could slow loss of shoreline, using an initial $5.4 million in grants from a U.N. climate change convention.
Source: Fox News