New crack forms on Laguna Niguel cliff
A new crack has formed on a coastal cliff beneath the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel just above a Salt Creek trail. Local residents are expressing safety concerns for families and beachgoers as rain enters the forecast.
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. -A new crack in the California coastline is causing concern among residents and officials as rain enters the forecast.
The latest fissure formed on a cliff in Laguna Niguel, directly beneath the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel and just above a Salt Creek trail. It sits just south of another crack that is currently impacting traffic along Pacific Coast Highway in Crystal Cove.
The new crack has prompted worries among those
The new crack has prompted worries among those who frequent the area about potential landslides and public safety.
“Just being around here, it worries me about the safety of the kids in the area and the families,” said Dana Point resident Joe Longobardo. “I don’t know. I hope the city does something about it.”
Troy McDonald also expressed concern over the limited space along the pedestrian path below the cliff. “People use this walkway, so there’s not much room as it is, and if there’s a landslide, I don’t know what they’re going to do about redirecting traffic like that,” McDonald said.
For Dana Point resident Houston Diener, the combination
For Dana Point resident Houston Diener, the combination of weather and coastal erosion is impacting daily routines. “The flooding, the tides, all of the above,” Diener said. “I’m more worried about our beaches. We always walk here and we love to go to the beach, but now we have to walk and we can’t hang out on the beach because there’s no beach.”
FOX 11 reached out to the Laguna Niguel Department of Parks and Recreation to see if crews are monitoring the crack, but we have not heard back yet.
The Laguna Niguel fissure follows a giant crack that formed last month on the slope beneath Pacific Coast Highway near Crystal Cove State Beach.
Caltrans crews continue to work to stabilize
Caltrans crews continue to work to stabilize that slope. Down below at Crystal Cove State Beach, giant sandbags and tarps are protecting the historic beach cottages, which remain undamaged. State officials are hoping conditions stay that way as the rainy season approaches.
Nearby residents have been monitoring the coastline closely. “It’s unfortunate, but it’s not like we didn’t know it was gonna happen, right?” said Crystal Cove resident Jennifer Lipyanik.
Laguna NiguelOrange CountySevere Weather
