New York Post, on Climate, 15 November 2026

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Ominous crack opens in cliff beneath ritzy California hotel as powerful storms threaten battered coastline

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A frightening crack has ripped open along a coastal bluff beneath one of California’s ritziest resorts , raising fears that incoming storms could send the cliff crashing onto a popular beachside trail. The fissure sits directly below The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel in Dana Point , looming over the heavily trafficked Salt Creek Point trail used daily by hundreds of beachgoers , walkers and surfers. Local videographer Craig Whetter of Breaking Even TV captured footage of the fracture in mid-November, revealing a prominent split in the bluff overlooking Salt Creek Beach. 3 An aerial drone flies near Monarch Beach and Salt Creek Beach in Laguna Niguel, Orange County, California. adobe.stock/blackboxguild “There is a new crack in town , ladies and gentlemen, and it lives right above that Salt Creek Point trail,” Whetter said in the video.

“It’s right above a very, very popular walkway that people use all day… it’s putting a lot of people in danger.” Explore More Rock legends turn Southwest flight from LAX into wild singalong amid nationwide ground stop Cause of FAA ground stop revealed after thousands of US fliers stranded, chaos at airports NYPD fatally shoots kidnapping suspect after chaotic NYC highway chase: sources Now, approaching atmospheric rivers, heavy rain and powerful surf have locals and surfers worried about a potentially dangerous collapse.

Rainwater seeping into the crack could saturate the soil and add weight to the bluff, while pounding waves threaten to eat away at the sand supporting its base. The trail beneath provides access to popular surf breaks known as the Point, Middles and Gravels. Officials have not confirmed a geological assessment determining the fracture’s depth or whether the luxury resort above faces an immediate structural threat. Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters California Post News : Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , X , YouTube , WhatsApp , LinkedIn California Post Sports Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , YouTube , X California Post Opinion California Post Newsletters : Sign up here!

California Post App : Download here! Home delivery : Sign up here! Page Six Hollywood : Sign up here! 3 An aerial view of the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Nigel. Hilo Motion Pictures – stock.adobe.com The alarming discovery comes as Orange County grapples with another major coastal erosion emergency. In October, a roughly 360-foot-long, 2-foot-wide fissure opened beneath Pacific Coast Highway near El Morro at Crystal Cove State Park. The damage forced southbound lane closures and triggered a $4 million emergency stabilization project, with crews deploying giant sandbags and tarps to shield historic beach cottages below. 3 Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point. jonbilous – stock.adobe.com The National Weather Service’s forecast first called for rain and gusty winds moving into Orange County on Friday, with more coastal punishment potentially on the way.

Forecasters also warned of King Tides from Nov. 22 through Nov. 27, bringing unusually high water levels that could further erode the base of already vulnerable coastal bluffs.

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About this analysis

The New York Post reports a new crack in a coastal bluff below The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel in Dana Point, filmed by a local videographer, and the fear that incoming storms and King Tides could bring the cliff down onto a busy beach trail. It names its source for the footage, explains how rain and waves could weaken the bluff, and says plainly that no official geological assessment has been confirmed. Nothing in it misleads its reader.

What it gets right

  • “Officials have not confirmed a geological assessment determining the fracture’s depth or whether the luxury resort above faces an immediate structural threat.”

    The Post keeps the uncertainty in view. It tells the reader no official assessment has confirmed how deep the crack runs or whether the hotel is at risk, so the alarm in the opening lines is not passed off as an established danger.

  • “Rainwater seeping into the crack could saturate the soil and add weight to the bluff, while pounding waves threaten to eat away at the sand supporting its base.”

    The Post explains in concrete terms how rain and surf could cause a collapse, and keeps it conditional with "could" and "threaten" rather than predicting one.

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