A new technology helps beachgoers identify rips, with the hope it will reduce the appalling number of Kiwis that drown each year.
Water Safety NZ reported 90 New Zealanders drowned in 2021 - the worst year for drowning fatalities since 2011.
The shocking drowning figures continue to climb in 2022, with just recently three people in the space of six hours drowning overnight on Tuesday
Now, NIWA and Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) have revealed a new technology that uses artificial intelligence to detect and give real-time updates of rip currents.
Rip currents are narrow, fast-moving segments of water that travel away from the shore. They can reach speeds of 2.5 metres per second, which is quicker than the fastest Olympic swimmer, NIWA said.
They are reported as the most hazardous safety risk to beachgoers around the world.
An Australian study published in 2013 revealed that rips have killed more people on Australian territory than bushfires, floods, cyclones, and shark attacks combined.
A startling report released in February found 60 percent of New Zealanders don't know how to identify a rip.
NIWA coastal scientists hope the technology will be used by beachgoers to alert them of rip currents.
"Even knowledgeable surf lifeguards can struggle identifying rips, depending on the beach and environmental conditions. As well as this, some beaches are remote or really large, so surf lifeguards can use all the extra help they can get!" NIWA scientist Dr Christo Rautenbach said.
The state-of-the-art rip current identification tool showed around 90 percent accuracy in detecting rip currents in videos and images in trials.
SLSNZ special projects manager Adam Wooler said that once operationalised, the technology will be invaluable for people while they're out enjoying New Zealand's beautiful coastline.
"This is only the beginning of our research together and our goal is to build even more effective, accurate and reliable safety tools for New Zealand beaches. Rip currents can sweep even the strongest swimmers out to sea," Wooler said.
"We had 90 people sadly drown in New Zealand last year, 25 of them on beaches, so we’re hoping that this technology helps to significantly reduce that number."
