Overstrand report

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In the past few years, Overstrand has been eroded, and people’s

lives, houses, schools, hotels, farmlands and the rest of the

town is at risk. So we need to protect the coast from the

waves, eroding the area. Action should be taken as

soon as possible.

Overstrand is in Norfolk close to Norwich. It is

situated on the coastline, where the waves are

causing lots of problems. (On the right is an

image of where Overstrand is located.)

Overstrand is made out of soft clay. If it

was made out of hard rock or something

on the lines of that, Overstrand would not

have been eroded as quickly as the land has now.

Overstrand has been eroded mostly by long shore drift, because the energy from the waves rushes on to the beach in the directions the wind is blowing. The waves then hit the cliff and come back down in to the sea with bits of sand and pebbles. The reason why the waves came back down in to the sea is because of gravity. This happens along the beach when it comes to a curve. Over the years the waves wash the beach away. When the beach has been washed away, the waves then start hitting the cliffs. Later on a crack will be formed, then a notch, a cave and next an arch. After the arch has been formed, it falls down in to the sea, this is called a stack. The stack will then topple over in the sea and a stump is produced. Then the stump erodes away until you cannot see it any more, this is called a wave cut platform.

The erosion is causing lots of problems not only to the cliffs but to the local residents and people who own businesses at Overstrand. The local residents are frightened that they might lose their homes if the cliffs eroded anymore. What makes it even worse for them is that their homes cannot be insured as the insurance companies would not have enough money to insure all the houses at Overstrand, also there is a high chance that the houses are going to get eroded with the cliffs. However the local residents can easily move homes to somewhere where it is safer for them to live, but that will not be possible as no will want to buy a house which is going to erode with the cliffs in the next few years. But if their homes can be sold, they would not get the price they paid for their house, because of where the house is situated.

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Hotel owners are in a tough position too, because tourists that come to visit Overstrand would not want to stay somewhere where they could be in danger. Also most tourist enjoy walking, getting a sun tan or just relax on the beach, but that will not be possible, as the sand on the beach would have been washed away with long-shore drift. So hotel owners would not get as much money as they did get in a few years back.

 

Local farmers are afraid that the cliffs are beginning to erode their farmland and if this ...

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