Cliff warning issued for walkers ahead of ‘Storm Christoph’

Date published: 20th January 2021

The Council are urging residents to take care when walking near cliffs following a period of heavy rain and snow, with more bad weather expected in the coming weeks.

The Met Office have issued a Yellow warning for rainfall in Norfolk and the Environment Agency have issued a Yellow warning for Flooding in parts of North Norfolk as the UK prepares for Storm Christoph

Cliff slips are more common in Winter – small deposits are to be expected across the coast, but stronger weather such as prolonged periods of heavy rain and melting snow put the cliffs at risk of slippage and loss.

Coastal Manager Rob Goodliffe said:

“Many of our coastal cliffs are susceptible to failure due to groundwater and how this interacts with the natural geology as well as erosion from the sea.  Following periods of prolonged and heavy rainfall there is a greater likelihood of cliff slips, these can be very large and on occasion cliff materials can reach past the low water mark.

If you witness the start of a cliff slip, vacate the area immediately.”

The Council advises anyone who is walking near the cliffs to stay away from the cliff edge and the base of the cliff. While walking along the beach, it is also advisable to check the tide times and know the risks.

The RNLI have provided guidance for safety at the beach, including winter swimming.

Cllr. Angie Fitch-Tillet, Portfolio Holder for the Coast said:

“The importance of coastal safety cannot be urged enough; our cliffs are a beautiful feature of our coastline but they are not indestructible and natural occurrences like heavy weather and storms can weaken areas that are unstable.

For their own safety, walkers should not be nearing the base or edge of the cliff and the cliff face should never be seen as a shortcut. Please take care and understand the real dangers this can present” 

Government guidance for the national lockdown states that you should stay local – meaning avoid travelling outside of your village or town. Full guidance is available at www.gov.uk