Drone footage captures dramatic cliff collapse at Centerville Beach, California

A significant landslide event occurred at Centerville Beach near Ferndale in Humboldt County, California, on Saturday, February 24, 2024, dramatically altering the landscape as a large portion of land, including parts of the Fleener Creek Trailhead parking lot, slipped into the ocean.

The incident, captured by drone footage, showed onlookers fleeing from the cliff edge as it crumbled beneath them, highlighting the sudden and dangerous nature of the collapse.

The Bureau of Land Management has noted that landslides along the Fleener Creek Trailhead have been a persistent issue since January, exacerbated by significant winter storms that have battered the state. The trail had been closed to the public since January 18, in response to the escalating risk posed by the unstable land.

Local news outlets and social media have played a crucial role in documenting the event, with the father and son drone-operating team, Double B UAV, sharing before-and-after images and dramatic video footage of the landslide.

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Humboldt County 1st District Supervisor Rex Bohn addressed the community via Facebook, advising against visiting the site and emphasizing the hazard it presents: “Fleener Creek parking lot gave away to mother nature last night and a good portion of it is now in the ocean. It is unsafe to use the parking lot at this time or to even walk in it,” he stated, declaring the area closed to the public and under patrol by sheriff’s deputies and Ferndale police to prevent any potential accidents or injuries.

This event follows a similar incident in Southern California, where a clifftop in Dana Point collapsed during a massive winter storm in early February, leaving two multimillion-dollar mansions perilously close to the ocean’s edge.

References:

¹ Footage shows onlookers running from Humboldt County beach landslide – The Press Democrat – February 28, 2024

Featured image credit: Double B UAV (stillshot)