England’s beachgoers witness a massive rockslide over West Bay

lifestyle

By Peter Aitken, Fox News

August 11, 2023 | 4:39 p.m

Beachgoers on England’s south coast narrowly avoided tragedy when a cliff overlooking West Bay Beach collapsed, hurling tons of car-sized boulders and boulders onto the sand.

Dorset Council said following the incident: “rockslides and landslides can happen at any time”. “These people are out of luck.”

“The southwest coast path over the cliff in West Bay is currently closed,” they added.

The Cliff Rangers responded to news that the cliff collapsed Tuesday after strong winds and heavy rain from Storm Anthony over the weekend, which had winds of 78 mph.

A spokesperson for the council told British outlets ITV that “the Coast Guard in the Solent have informed us of this landslide”, and that Coast Guard personnel in West Bay had cordoned off the area, and were expecting to be in place for six months.

The council sent sentinels to examine the area and ensure proper signage remained posted around the coastal path.

“The Jurassic Coast is a wonderful place to visit, but it’s important to use common sense and caution – stay away from the edge and base of cliffs, and always pay attention to warning signs, safety messages and tides,” said the spokesperson.

The cliffs have been a popular filming location for TV shows and movies, including the hugely popular crime drama ‘Broadchurch’ and Carey Mulligan’s period drama ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’.

Dorset Live reported that another landslide occurred in the same area earlier this year on May 21 most likely due to heavy rain over the previous weekend.

Members of the public at the time reported that some people were trapped by boulders, but through the use of a drone and analysis of CCTV footage, emergency personnel determined that no one was near the cliff during the collapse.

Local officials reiterated that walkers should stay away from the cliff top or get too close to the base and should be on the lookout for the tides — and not let any pets perch around the cliffs, either.