Coastal erosion is the wearing away of land and the removal of
beach or
dune sediments by
wave action,
tidal currents, wave currents, drainage or high winds (see also
beach evolution). Waves, generated by storms, wind, or fast moving motor craft, cause coastal
erosion, which may take the form of long-term losses of sediment and
rocks, or merely the temporary redistribution of coastal sediments; erosion in one location may result in accretion nearby. The study of erosion and sediment redistribution is called 'coastal morphodynamics'. It may be caused by
hydraulic action,
abrasion, impact and
corrosion.