Eastchurch cliff fall: House hanging over edge after second collapse

A cliff tumble that resulted in 20 homes being evacuated has worsened in a single day with a large piece of ground giving methodology.

A condominium in Surf Crescent, Eastchurch, Kent, is partially suspended over the sting, whereas a car and storage fell down the cliff face on Sunday morning.

The family left the property after a smaller crumple on Friday.

“They’re correct attempting ahead to the condominium to tumble,” acknowledged neighbour Malcolm Newell, who has been told it is now now not safe to realize lend a hand to his dwelling two-doorways away.

A swimming pool in the property’s lend a hand backyard is at also probability, Mr Newell acknowledged, including: “If that goes it would per chance perchance perchance purchase noteworthy extra with it.”

Swale Borough Council acknowledged: “There became as soon as extra crumple of the cliff at Eastchurch this morning.

“Emergency services and products are on the scene and we delight in got sing up a leisure centre for households affected.”

All nevertheless two of the households evacuated on Friday had been told they’d perchance well return to their homes on Saturday morning.

It’s unclear what number of are tormented by the 2nd cliff tumble, nevertheless Mr Newell estimated eight households delight in been told they can now now not return.

“I’m out. I will now now not return,” he acknowledged. “It appears to be like there are extra cracks exhibiting along the entrance.”

Mr Newell, a parish councillor in Eastchurch, acknowledged he first warned authorities in 2015 that motion became as soon as needed to prevent extra erosion.

“This must delight in been handled an awfully long time ago,” he acknowledged. “It’s a long way now now not simply to thrill in folk’s dwelling, their livelihoods, falling into the sea.”

In an announcement, Swale Borough Council acknowledged it became as soon as opposed to the Environment Agency’s original shoreline management idea, which contains “no energetic intervention to defend this gather 22 situation”.

On the different hand, the Environment Agency acknowledged: “The shoreline management idea, which indicates which areas define persevered security or now now not, became as soon as written in full session with Swale Borough Council and other companions.

“These are always tense decisions, and the concept items out no extra intervention for this gather 22 situation, nonetheless we proceed to work carefully with Swale Borough Council.”

The agency described the gather 22 situation as “mainly rural though involves a limited collection of homes and caravan parks at probability from ongoing indispensable erosion”.

In 2015 the agency acknowledged it had view to be a coastal defence map, nevertheless the collection of properties in the gather 22 situation didn’t define the associated rate.