Heavy Rains, King Tides Cause Severe Erosion in Pacifica, California, Leading to Opening of Hazardous Sinkhole

Pam Wright
Published: December 13,2016

Heavy rain and large waves created by king tides have caused severe erosion in parts of California, leading to the opening of a hazardous sinkhole on a cliff in Pacifica.
According to NBCNews, the 30-foot-deep sinkhole, first reported Sunday, forced the closure of an access path to a popular beach.
This is not the first time the beach access path has been closed. Recurrent erosion has become the norm on the coastline near San Francisco.
"It's a constant battle," resident Gary Tiggs told NBC. "If you look at the sidewalk over there, it's very narrow. It's just a shadow of what it was years ago."

The sinkhole is on private property and is the responsibility of the owners of the Lands End Apartments, Pacifica City Manager Lori Tinfow told KRON4.

King tides, which are expected to peak this week with the full moonTuesday and Wednesday, occur when the earth, moon and sun align. Gravity pulls the oceans to their highest tides, often "afflicting coastal communities with minor or nuisance flooding that can close roads, inundate local businesses, erode beaches and cause sewage overflows," according to a report by Climate Central.
According to the Climate Central report, as global warming accelerates sea level rise, the number of king tide floods are increasing as well, up to 10 or 20 times a year in some locations.

A pump is used to deliver concrete and sand to a sinkhole Monday, Dec. 12, 2016, in Pacifica, California. Large waves, known as king tides, could have caused a sinkhole that emerged over the weekend on the coast south of San Francisco.
(AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

King tides have become a major nuisance for communities along the East Coast.
In California, the king tides create large waves that batter the coastline, creating dangerous conditions for people exploring the renowned cliffs around San Francisco in northern California.
"I'm always ready to jump back because it can just fall at a moment's notice," Tiggs told NBC about the cliff area. "And just because there's a sidewalk there, it doesn't mean it won't fall."
(MORE: The Dark Side of the Supermoon: High Tides, Coastal Flooding Happening Around the World)

NBC notes that an apartment complex along Esplanade Avenue in Pacifica on the same bluff where the Lands End Apartments are located was demolished in March after erosion along the cliffs made the risk too high for residents.
Local officials could not provide an estimate for when the beach access path could be reopened.
MORE: King Tides