Three women were killed after a sandstone bluff collapsed at Encinitas beach, located north of San Diego.
The tragic incident occurred at about 3 pm on Friday, August 2, 2019. A 3-meter wide sandstone block detached from the cliff and hit the unfortunate women from behind as they were facing the sea.
Search and rescue operations directly began and dogs were brought at the scene to track the victims. One woman died at the beach while the 2 others passed away after being hospitalized. 2 more people suffered minor injuries and were treated at the beach. “I saw first responders, and I saw lifeguards frantically digging people out of the debris. It was horrible. I can’t imagine being at the beach and your life changing in the blink of an eye,” Jackie Benedict, a local resident, said.
The beach was closed during the rescue operations but, according to officials, a large part was re-opened on Saturday, August 3.
According to geologists that assessed the affected area the following day, the residences that are located at the top of the cliff are in no danger at the moment. Still, the causes of the collapse are not clear but it is possible that the sandstone's strength deteriorated by years of rainfall and wave action.
Similar failures are common in Southern California as the cliffs are constantly eroding and instabilities are caused. In fact, on average, 8 cliff failures are recorded in the region annually. Many people have lost their lives due to such collapses. “This is a naturally eroding coastline. There’s really no rhyme or reason, but that’s what it does naturally,” Larry Giles, Encinitas Lifeguard Captain, stated.
Warning signs that alert people to stay away from hazardous cliffs are all over California beaches.
Sources: TheGuardian, Globalnews, Washingtonpost, Dailymail
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