Articles | Volume 26, issue 8
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-3707-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-3707-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
10 Aug 2026
Research article |
| 10 Aug 2026
| 10 Aug 2026
A database of fatal coastal cliff failures
Malia N. Reiss
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0209, USA
Adam P. Young
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0209, USA
Jessica Carilli
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0209, USA
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The Cryosphere, 19, 1825–1847, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1825-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1825-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We measure shoreline change across a 7 km stretch of coastline on the Alaskan Beaufort Sea coast between 2019 and 2022 using multispectral imagery from Planet and satellite altimetry from ICESat-2. We find that shoreline change rates are high and variable and that different shoreline types show distinct patterns of change in shoreline position and topography. We discuss how the observed changes may be driven by both time-varying ocean and air conditions and spatial variations in morphology.
Zuzanna M. Swirad and Adam P. Young
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 1499–1512, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-1499-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-1499-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Cliff base and top lines that delimit coastal cliff faces are usually manually digitized based on maps, aerial photographs, terrain models, etc. However, manual mapping is time consuming and depends on the mapper's decisions and skills. To increase the objectivity and efficiency of cliff mapping, we developed CliffDelineaTool, an algorithm that identifies cliff base and top positions along cross-shore transects using elevation and slope characteristics.
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Short summary
Globally, coastal cliffs can pose fatal hazards. We present a global fatal coastal cliff failure database, with 114 fatal events and 292 related fatalities from 1927 to 2024. Using this database, we found that deaths from coastal cliff failures are partly associated with elevated rainfall and partly associated with dry periods with elevated human beach activity. These results can help inform beach hazard management.
Globally, coastal cliffs can pose fatal hazards. We present a global fatal coastal cliff failure...
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