Australia's rip currents are deadlier than cyclones, bushfires, floods and sharks combined. According to the University of New South Wales researchers, rip currents cause more deaths than any other natural hazard in Australia.

The researchers have investigated the number of deaths caused by rip currents and compared them with fatalities associated with floods, cyclones, bushfires and sharks. Researchers found human deaths from rip currents have an average of 21 while bushfires have 5.9, floods with 4.3, cyclones with 7.5 and sharks with 1.

Lead author of the study and UNSW coastal geomorphologist Dr Rob Brander said the Australian surf or rip currents are responsible for a greater loss of human life than any other natural calamity.

Rip currents different from climate change risk

According to a French university professor and climatologist Herve Le Treut, oceans have a tendency to have high temperatures and cause developing cyclones to intensify. He said this is part of the risks as the climate changes.

Cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons are all the same and only differ in name based on the geographical location they hit. In general, meteorologists use the term "cyclone" in reference to super storms.

Aside from Typhoon Haiyan, other extreme weather disturbances include the record-breaking heat waves in Australia leading climate scientists to suspect recent NSW bushfires were enhanced by climate changes. The floods experienced in Sudan to Europe were also believed to be aggravated by climate change and rising global temperatures, according to the WMO.

Dangers of rip currents

Based on statistics, Australia has 11,000 mainland beaches with 17,500 rip currents. According to the study, rip currents are strong and narrow flowing currents in the sea. Swimmers who are not careful may be carried significant distances away from the shore which can cause people to panic and drown.

The 21 average deaths caused by rip currents are confirmed by Australia's National Coronial Information System and happened between 2004 and 2011. Dr Brander believes the average figure may just be understated since there has to be someone who saw a swimmer who was caught in a rip current and the incident went unrecorded.

Mr Brander said other natural hazards like bushfires can claim more lives in a single event but rip currents are always present in Australia's beaches. He believes the study can be used to look at the risk brought by rip currents more closely.

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