Sand crisis at Sylt: Storms deplete beach in Westerland
One of the beaches in Germany is missing sand. As indicated by a warning sign in Westerland's spa district, this poses a danger to tourists. The seemingly bizarre statement from local authorities is fully justified.
A curiously worded notice has appeared on the beach in the district of Westerland (Sylt municipality in Germany). Officials have informed that "due to the lack of sand, this part of the beach is unsupervised". They urge tourists to exercise extreme caution.
How is it possible that there is not enough sand on a beach in the North Sea? "Bild" asked local officials in Germany to explain this issue. It turns out they have a reasonable explanation.
The past winter season brought frequent and prolonged storms, which led to sand loss - explained Gritje Stöver, spokeswoman for the Sylt Island Tourist Service in an interview with a "Bild" journalist.
It turns out that "sand loss" has not only a practical dimension, making beach use difficult. The lack of a sandy substrate also prevents safe bathing. For this reason, the Westerland authorities have decided to place a warning sign.
Currently, there is an area on the central beach that is too deep to swim safely. This is particularly troublesome during westerly winds and high tides. The sea quickly approaches the sea wall - says Gritje Stöver.
The information is purely a warning. Local council members and tourist organisations have not decided to introduce a swimming ban for tourists. They rely on their common sense.
