A hazardous sinkhole emerged on a cliff in Pacifica Saturday, closing access to a popular beach and causing concerns about recurring erosion due to heavy rains and high waves.
A barricade and sign closing off beach access was erected Saturday. It's an issue residents of the area have grown accustomed to over the years.
"It's a constant battle," neighbor Gary Tiggs said. "If you look at the sidewalk over there, it's very narrow. It's just a shadow of what it was years ago."
The latest sinkhole may have been caused by some of the biggest waves of the year, known as King Tides. Such tides are expected to peak Tuesday or Wednesday, according to weather reports.
"I'm always ready to jump back because it can just fall at a moment's notice," Tiggs said about the cliff area. "And just because there's a sidewalk there, it doesn't mean it won't fall."
In March, along Esplanade Avenue in Pacifica, an apartment complex was demolished after erosion along the cliffs made the area unsafe. The apartments were evacuated in January after geologists cited a "clear danger" with the continuous erosion there.
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The complex was yellow-tagged later that month, declaring the apartments uninhabitable. Pacifica city leaders declared a state of emergency.
With another storm looming off the coast this week, officials did not have an estimated time for when the beach access would be reopened.
