National Guard troops were called to help clear debris in the town, where knee-deep sand on streets prevented residents from returning to homes they evacuated before the storm.

Rock or concrete armour units on the outside of the structure absorb most of the energy, while gravels or sands prevent the wave energy's continuing through the breakwater core.

At the Colony, where the sand prevented us from seeing the pool's bottom, there were regular drills to practice looking for missing children.

The sand prevented him from closing the door again.

Sprinkling sand over the filler will prevent it from sticking to tires.

Over time sand accumulates in layers behind the dam which helps store water and most importantly, prevent evaporation.

Terrible sand and rain storms, combined with the heat, prevented Heintzelman's garrison from doing anything other than trying to cope with the weather.

The decks had already been wetted and sand sprinkled, so that if the ship did go into action the damp planks would stop any spilt powder being ignited by friction and the sand would prevent it blowing about as well as stop feet slipping.

Men rigged the washdeck pumps and began sluicing water across the decks as others scattered sand: water would soak any spilled gunpowder and the sand would prevent feet slipping.

He hides three fistfuls of the coins and sand in his clothes, "the sand among the coins preventing them from chinking."