A massive chunk of a cliff has collapsed on to a beach on the island of La Gomera, in the Canary Islands, just feet from campers and caravans. Late Saturday afternoon tourists enjoying drinks in a bar on Argaga beach looked on in horror as tons of dirt and rock cascaded to the beach and into the water creating a massive cloud of dust visible for miles around. On video onlookers can be heard screaming.
Early reports suggested there had been walkers in the area despite warning signs about possible danger from collapses. Emergency services rushed to the scene and dogs were being used to sniff out anyone who might have been trapped.
The beach has been closed as there are huge cracks in the cliffs and experts fear more of it could fall. Reports suggest several vehicles were buried, but as yet, there are no reports that anyone is missing.
Due to the possibility of campers being trapped under the rubble, a major emergency has been declared and other emergency workers and equipment from neighbouring islands, including Tenerife, have been brought in.
However, Casimiro Curbelo, the president of La Gomera’s island government, said they were “optimistic” there would be no victims because moments before the collapse, there were small landslides in the area that caused people who were there to move away