California landslide wipes out popular ‘Thousand Steps’ at Laguna Beach

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. — A landslide wiped out an iconic cliffside staircase leading to the Thousand Steps Beach in Laguna Beach, California Friday morning.An image shared by Laguna Beach city officials shows rubble and debris scattered along the beach beneath where a portion of the stairs once hung.There were no reports of any injuries.Officials said while there had been some rainfall recently, the cause of the landslide is currently unknown. A geologist will assess the landslide and surrounding bluff.The landslide initially led to the temporary closure of an access way to the beach, but the closure had been lifted by Friday afternoon local time.City officials reassured residents and visitors that the area was safe and that nearby structures were not threatened by the landslide.HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHERThe stairs leading to Thousand Steps Beach actually only had about 218 steps, according to the city’s marketing website. While the steps were “steep,” the site said the reward – the beach they lead to – was “immense.”