Erosion in the aftermath of last year's Hurricane Wilma is endangering parts of the resort of Cancún, Mexico."Erosion has shrunk its beaches to the point that waves at high tide lap against the verandas of some of the newly renovated hotels," reported The Guardian of London.
"After Wilma, the Mexican government spent $19 million to dredge the ocean floor and rebuild eight miles of beach with 2.7 million cubic meters of sand. After the dredging was completed last spring, the beaches were nearly double their pre-hurricane size and tourists returned in droves. Just a year later, the beaches have shrunk again, to less than 20 metres (65 feet) at mid-tide in the tourist zone, and swimmers are forced to clamber down meter-high ledges of sand to reach the water."
An artificial reef off the coast is being planned to help contain the sand. In the meantime, however, sections of the beaches are lined with sandbags.
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