Watch: World War II-era military structure falls onto beach in California
More than 40 inches of rain has fallen in some places in California since the end of December when the first series of atmospheric river storms began. There were nearly 60 reports of flooding in a 24-hour span Monday.
Raw video: World War II-era military structure falls onto beach in California
A portion of the concrete ruins at Fort Funston in San Francisco slid down a rain-soaked bluff onto the beach below, authorities said Monday.
SAN FRANCISCO – A portion of a World War II-era military structure slid down a rain-soaked San Francisco bluff onto the beach below, authorities said Monday.
The Golden Gate National Recreation Area said beachcombers at Fort Funston shared the beach with the undermined concrete ruins.
The San Francisco Fire Department and US Park Rangers responded to the old outpost at about 10 a.m. PST after the structure tumbled about 200 feet from the cliffs. They determined that no person had been impacted, and no injuries were associated with the collapse.
Beachcombers at Fort Funston shared the beach on Monday with a WWII military structure undermined when saturated bluff sand slid onto the beach.
(Golden Gate National Recreation Area)
The collapse came from recent extreme weather, including torrential rain and strong winds, combined with coastal erosion, which affects all parts of the San Francisco Peninsula.
"We had a lot of ground saturation throughout the week, and on that specific day, in addition to the ground saturation, we did have rainy weather and windy conditions," said Capt. Jonathan Baxter, the fire department spokesman.
The area above the collapsed bluff was closed as a precaution to determine its stability, the National Park Service said.
According to the NPS, the collapsed structure was likely an observation post that was part of the Battery Davis coastal defense fortification.
"It is made of reinforced concrete and would be incredibly expensive to remove from the beach, so it will remain in place as we assess our options," said Julian Espinoza, a public affairs specialist for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Built in 1917, Fort Funston became primarily a Nike missile site after its batteries were decided to be obsolete after World War II, according to the NPS. It now serves as a popular site for hang gliding across the country.
More than 40 inches of rain has fallen in some places in California since the end of December when the first series of atmospheric river storms began. There were nearly 60 reports of flooding in a 24-hour span Monday.
Some parts of California have picked up more than 40 inches of rain since the end of December.
(FOX Weather)
However, California is finally set to get a break from the relentless barrage of atmospheric river storms that have killed at least 20 people since the end of December and have pummeled the state with torrential rain, flooding, mudslides and beach erosion.
Last week, President Joe Biden approved both a major disaster declaration and an emergency declaration for the state of California in response to the deadly storms.