Cliff Path Closed After Recent ‘Huge’ Landslide

A footpath has been shut down subsequent to the most recent in a sequence of “huge” cliff collapses. The Beer Coastguard Rescue Team (BCRT) reported its deployment to the landslide incident at Salcombe Hill, situated close to Sidmouth in Devon, on Friday morning. Via a social media update, BCRT stated that permanent fencing had been installed in the “very dangerous” zone and issued a caution that “more cliff falls will happen soon.” The National Trust, as the landowner, advised individuals to “stay well away from the area” and adhere to the designated footpath diversion, which maintains a safe distance from the cliff edge. The Trust further noted, “We are monitoring the situation.” The BCRT characterized the event as “another huge cliff fall this time East of Sidmouth.” This incident occurred mere days after a substantial rock fall on the Jurassic Coast resulted in a house precariously positioned near a cliff’s edge. BCRT confirmed that a drone team conducted inspections along the coastline for any additional cliff collapses that were not discernible from above. The Sidmouth lifeboat also performed a shoreline search to verify that no individuals were left stranded following the cliff falls. Sam Scriven, who serves as the principal officer for world heritage at the Jurassic Coast Trust, observed that rock falls and landslides appear to be “increasing in frequency.” He commented, “It sort of matches what we have been told to expect from the climate change trend.” Mr. Scriven indicated that an increase in storms and wet weather acts as a “key driver” for rock falls. He further explained that the magnitude of rock falls is contingent on the cliff’s geological composition, noting that various layers can “create a boundary of weakness.” “The top of the cliff can become very saturated and very heavy and sort of slide off and bring a lot of the cliff below with it,” he elaborated. “I think that’s what has happened in this latest one.” He cautioned that rock falls are “unpredictable” and advised individuals to avoid “lingering” beneath cliffs and to maintain distance from cliff edges.