Dramatic pictures show huge chunk of rock lying in the sea after cliff fall in latest incident of coastal erosion
Authorities have warned people to stay away from a section of coastline after a huge chunk of cliff collapsed into the sea.
The massive lump of red rock broke away from the cliffside in Livermead, near Torquay, Devon, prompting harbour authorities and the local council to urge people to stay away from the area.
Sharing pictures of the tonnes of rock that had fallen away, Tor Bay Harbour said people should avoid the area because it could still be unstable. A section of the coast path has also been closed off.
It’s not the only place where the landscape is changing as huge sections of cliff collapse into the sea.
Earlier this month a row of seaside caravans were left teetering on the brink of a cliff in Trimingham, near Cromer, Norfolk, after a landslide the size of two football pitches.
Livermead cliff fall - area may still be unstable and dangerous. Please avoid cliff top and below until a full survey can be completed #publicsafety #torbay #beaches #rockfall pic.twitter.com/84m75sQ2kI
— Tor Bay Harbour (@TorBayHarbour) January 27, 2020
In a tweet, the harbour authority said: “Livermead cliff fall – area may still be unstable and dangerous. Please avoid cliff top and below until a full survey can be completed.”
Pictures taken by a drone show the dramatic scene as tonnes of rock sit on the beach below the cliff.
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Onlookers have reportedly said the fall had changed the coastline at Livermead forever and is the latest in series of similar incidents in the area.
The harbour authority later posted two pictures of the scene to illustrate how dangerous the edges of cliffs can be.
Following on from yesterday’s post warning about the cliff fall, here is the chunk of countryside that fell off the map giving you an idea of how dangerous cliff edges can be. #torbay #devonlife #coast #publicsafety pic.twitter.com/ZETg8PUmlJ
— Tor Bay Harbour (@TorBayHarbour) January 28, 2020
It wrote: “Following on from yesterday’s post warning about the cliff fall, here is the chunk of countryside that fell off the map giving you an idea of how dangerous cliff edges can be.”
A study by the Environment Agency previously predicted that 7,000 homes, worth more than £1bn, will fall into the sea over the next 100 years.
Torbay Council said: “There’s been a large cliff fall at Livermead, we are just establishing next steps but please be careful if you are around the area and close to the cliffs.”
