Sea cliff collapse in California kills 3 beachgoers, triggers race to dig out victims

[jpak]

Source: CBS News

Encinitas, Calif. -- A popular surfing beach was closed Saturday after a cliff collapsed, sending tons of sandstone onto beachgoers and killing three people. A 30-foot-long slab of the cliff plunged onto the sand near Grandview Beach north of San Diego, prompting a frantic effort to rescue victims buried in the debris.

A KNSD-TV helicopter captured footage of beach chairs, towels, surf boards and beach toys strewn about the sand. CBS San Diego affiliate KFMB reports cadaver dogs were on scene to help determine if anyone else might be trapped under the pile.

Other beachgoers and lifeguards at a nearby tower scrambled to the towering pile of debris, which was estimated to weigh tens of thousands of pounds, to help dig out victims. "I saw first responders, and I saw lifeguards frantically digging people out of the debris," Jim Pepperdine, who lives nearby, told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Pepperdine said he saw people trying to resuscitate a woman before her body was covered.

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Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/encinitas-collapse-3-killed-by-collapsing-sea-bluff-witness-account-beach-closed-today-2019-08-03/

[wasupaloopa]

1. It is a normal thing here for the cliffs to collapse. It has been going on for thousands of years.

The stone can be crumbled in your hand. It is soft sand stone. With a narrow beach like this one the high tide comes right up to the cliffs and at low tide the only dry sand is along the cliffs. So that is where people put their towels down.

[SHRED]

2. I live in Encinitas (Leucadia)

What you say is true.
People have been hurt and killed before but it's surprisingly rare. I say surprising because we have lots of beach cliffs. Most Encinitas beaches here have cliffs and all the way down to La Jolla. I'm surprised it doesn't happen more.
When I go for a beach walk I stay away from the potential impact zone but at higher tides that's impossible.
So sad.

[PerceptionManagement]

4. you mispelled 'millions'

it's been going on for millions of years

[DarthDem]

3. That's Awfully Sad

I've been to those beaches. They're beautiful.

[ancianita]

5. ...

?w=1600

[denbot]

6. Bummer.

That stretch of beach from San O’ from La Jolla is as near to paradise as you can get.

[IcyPeas]

7. and this is California.... earthquakes happen

every time the earth shakes a little or a lot you have to wonder about these cliffs. I wouldn't sit right under them just in case.