A bluff in Del Mar collapsed early Wednesday, prompting a brief search, but no one was found under the sand, officials said.
Lifeguards on patrol discovered a 10-by-10-foot section of bluff had collapsed along Camino Del Mar near Del Mar’s Dog Beach, officials said.
Deputies responded shortly after 6:30 a.m. A pair of shoes was found nearby, prompting deputies and lifeguards to search the area, but no one was located, sheriff’s Lt. Joe Barry said.
Encinitas Fire Battalion Chief Alex Poff said lifeguards and deputies “sifted through the sand” to ensure no one was trapped.
Bluff collapses, sometimes caused by natural erosion, are not uncommon in north San Diego and along beaches in North County.
In August 2019, a collapse at Grandview Beach in Encinitas killed three women — a 35-year-old woman, her 65-year-old mother and her mother’s 62-year-old sister.
Relatives of the women reached a settlement totaling more than $32 million with the state, the city of Encinitas and coastal property owners. The settlement agreement called for Encinitas to increase public awareness about the risks of bluff collapses, including posting new signage and providing additional training for beach lifeguards.