Huge cliff collapses into the sea as people were enjoying Easter walk
This is the dramatic moment a cliff collapsed onto the beach in Dorset, just a few meters away from where people were taking a stroll with their dogs.
Drone footage filmed by Omar El-Haj shows the rockfall in West Bay on Friday, at the beginning of the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
Part of the cliff can be seen crumbling – just like a sandcastle – and falling into the sea.
Omar told Storyful about what it was like witnessing this: ‘As soon as I zoomed in the cliff began to collapse.
‘People were mere meters away as several tons of rock came crashing down into the sea.’
Following the incident, the Dorset Council warned of a ‘greater risk of landslides and rockfalls’.
It said: ‘Please take extra care if you’re visiting the coast this weekend, rock falls and landslips can happen quickly and without warning.
‘Please take notice of signage and stay away from the edge and base of cliffs.’
Cliff erosion is a natural process and part of the evolution of the coastline, but the rise of sea levels caused by climate change are only speeding up that process.
As well as the risk to those walking on top of cliffs, this can also present dangers to those on the beach below.
The percentage of coastlines that are vulnerable to erosion across the UK are 28% in England and Wales, 19.5% in Northern Ireland and 19% in Scotland.
The current magnitude of risk is medium rising to high by the 2050s due to the predicted magnitude of sea level rise, findings from the third UK Climate Change Risk assessment showed in 2021.
This is a developing news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.
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