New landslides along oceanfront bluffs in San Clemente have prompted more closures of the town’s beach trails, mostly in the north end of town.
Stairs leading down to the coastal path at Dije Court, El Portal and Lasuen Beach were added to the list of closed access points Wednesday evening due to continuing instability of the area.
The list of pathway closures now includes:
– North Beach to Mariposa
– Linda Lane to Corto Lane
– Boca Del Canon to Lasuen
OC Fifth District Supervisor Katrina Foley weighed in on the closures, urging people to avoid the impacted areas along the beach trail as the city continues to assess the damage from the recent rainfall.
“These closures are yet another reminder of our climate reality and the effects climate change and coastal erosion have on our communities,” she said in a statement.
Soil and debris where a landslide occurred more than two weeks ago continued to inch toward the track below, pushing into the rail right-of-way near Mariposa Point, according to a Metrolink update late Wednesday.
Debris had already damaged the bridge at that point of coastal walking path and sections had to be removed.
The track itself remains stable, according to Metrolink, and freight trains were running but passenger service remains halted through the area.
“BNSF is aware of the ongoing movement of the soil from the private-property hillside. But with confirmation of an operating rail, BNSF was scheduled to move freight through the area overnight again,” the statement reads. “Inspections of the track and confirmation that it is safe to proceed will occur before and after each freight train passes.”
The Orange County Transportation Authority and Metrolink team will continue to assess movement of the slope and inspect the track, officials said.
The team also plans to remove the plastic tarps covering the landslide that were damaged by the recent rain and wind to get a better look at the condition of the slope and prepare…
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