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Popular UK seaside town loved by tourists where beaches could soon disappear

The town is popular among day-trippers and holidaymakers, but it could soon be without its beloved beaches due to climate change

[The East Beach in Shoeburyness]

Beaches could be lost amid rising sea levels(Image: (Image: Anna Willis))

A beloved seaside town that draws in thousands of visitors every may soon lose its cherished beaches. Shoeburyness, often preferred as an alternative day-trip to nearby Southend-on-Sea, is home to two beaches - East Beach and Shoebury Common Beach.

Although less renowned than some of Essex's other beaches, these spots offer excellent amenities and are a favourite among those seeking to cool off in the sea during warmer months. East Beach proudly holds a Blue Flag, indicating it meets the highest standards for beaches.

Its convenient location, just a short walk from the railway station, and reasonable parking costs make it a hit with visitors. However, despite the Government's flood risk summary stating that East Beach has a 'very low' annual chance of flooding now and between 2040 and 2060, concerns still linger.

Sadly, the report cautions that areas near rivers or the sea "are more likely to flood when water levels rise". While flood defences can mitigate the risk, they can fail or be overwhelmed by water.

[Row of multi coloured beach huts]

Popular beaches are at risk(Image: (Image: Getty))

Researchers at Climate Central, an American non-profit organisation dedicated to studying climate change's impacts, have created a sobering projection indicating that Shoebury's East Beach and Common Beach may become submerged annually by 2040 a mere blink away in climatic forecasts. The group's claims are grounded in peer-reviewed science from top-tier journals, but they acknowledge that using extensive datasets might lead to some errors, reports the Express.

"Our approach makes it easy to map any scenario quickly and reflects threats from permanent future sea-level rise well," they pointed out.

Their concerning map illustrates the issue, saying: "Areas lower than the selected water level and with an unobstructed path to the ocean are shaded red. By default, areas below the water level but that appear to be protected by ridges (and in the U.S., levees) are not shaded."

The specialists further explained: "Our approach makes it easy to map any scenario quickly and reflects threats from permanent future sea-level rise well. However, the accuracy of these maps drops when assessing risks from extreme flood events."

"Our maps are not based on physical storm and flood simulations and do not take into account factors such as erosion, future changes in the frequency or intensity of storms, inland flooding, or contributions from rainfall or rivers."

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