For many children growing up, Scooby Doo and Looney Tunes painted a picture of quicksand as a lurking danger. One misstep and you could face a slow and suffocating demise.
While the likelihood of being swallowed by quicksand is slim, it’s still a real phenomenon that shouldn’t be underestimated.
Quicksand can be found in various locations like beaches, riverbanks, and wetlands in the UK. It forms when sand or clay gets flooded and loses its structure. The friction between particles reduces in saturated sand, causing the surface to liquefy when disturbed, making it appear like the sand is swallowing you.
Contrary to the dramatic portrayals in horror comics, quicksand won’t suck you in and kill you. Research published in the journal Nature in 2005 showed that the density of quicksand is higher than that of the human body, and the buoyancy of the torso from the lungs prevents sinking past waist level.
The real danger lies in secondary risks associated with quicksand. People stuck in tidal areas with quicksand can be engulfed by rising water and drown, or suffer from hypothermia, dehydration, and exhaustion if not rescued promptly.
Each year, dozens of people in the UK get trapped in quicksand and require rescue missions. In 2017, four holidaymakers were stranded in quicksand in Morecambe Bay, with only minutes to be saved from the rising waters.
To stay safe around quicksand, it’s best to avoid it altogether. Stick to marked trails, never venture into unknown areas alone, check local tides if near danger spots, inform someone of your whereabouts, and carry a charged cell phone for emergencies.
If trapped in quicksand, refrain from letting others assist you to prevent them from getting stuck as well. Call 999 for the Coastguard and use the what3words app to share your location. Remain calm, avoid sudden movements, distribute your weight over a wide area, remove weight like backpacks, and move your feet slowly to create pockets of water for leverage.
This article addresses the question from Ray MacDonald via email: “How deadly is quicksand?”
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Source: www.sciencefocus.com
