May 10, 2023 6:00 a.m.
Staff with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is asking visitors to use caution and stay away from the area where another sinkhole has formed at Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, north of Lincoln City.
An OPRD release said the second sinkhole was discovered Monday about ten inches away from the first, which appeared in January. The new sinkhole measures about ten feet across and about thirty feet deep and developed within the safety fence of the first sinkhole in the northwest corner of the lower dune.
Park staff learned about the additional sinkhole late Monday evening when a photo was posted on social media. The safety fence was expanded on Tuesday around both sinkholes to keep park visitors at a safer distance.
Park Ranger Supervisor Travis Korbe said, “We ask that visitors respect this barrier and all park safety barriers and that they keep pets on leashes and children away from the edges”. Korbe said, “We are monitoring the site daily, but it’s a dynamic environment. The soft sandstone cliffs can give way without warning, which it why its important to respect safety fences everywhere in the park”.
OPRD is working with a geologist to help determine the best location for a permanent safety fence to keep visitors away from the sinkholes. The soil appears to be falling into large, unstable voids beneath the cliff caused by strong ocean waves. The first sinkhole measures about twenty-five feet across and fifteen feet deep.
OPRD is continuing to monitor the situation.
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