Danger on the coast: cyclist falls from crumbling cliffs!

Danger on the coast: cyclist falls from crumbling cliffs!

In Nienhagen, a small town in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, a dangerous fall caused a stir last Saturday. A 48-year-old cyclist became airborne when she fell about seven meters from the crumbling cliffs. The ground suddenly gave way, causing her to lose control of her bike and she was taken to hospital in Bad Doberan with relatively minor injuries. The police reacted promptly and immediately cordoned off the dangerous section. The Rostock district has already announced that it will examine further protective measures to avoid such accidents, as there are already warning signs in Börgerende and Nienhagen indicating that the path is “not passable”.

But why is the danger on these cliffs so high, especially in autumn and winter? As the geologist Prof. Dr. Winter explained by the University of Kiel, the likelihood of landslides increases at this time of year due to rainfall, seepage and frost. This condition is not new - last winter, similar conditions led to several coastal collapses in Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, including the famous chalk cliffs on Rügen. The Brodten cliffs in Schleswig-Holstein are considered another example of progressive erosion, in which the land is eroded by the Baltic Sea every year.

Correct information for the public

In order to give the population and the numerous visitors to the Baltic Sea coast a better understanding of the geological dangers, the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Geological Service has been developing geological information boards since 2012. These boards provide information in a generally understandable way about the geological structure of the cliffs, possible coastal changes and the associated risks. The panels were designed by the geologist and landscape photographer Rolf Reinicke from Stralsund.

A total of 20 different information boards are to be set up along the cliff sections. The boards provide explanations of possible dangers and the correct behavior on cliffs. It is pointed out that “you always enter the beaches and high banks at your own risk!” These preventative measures are intended to encourage beach hikers in particular to better assess the dangers and adapt their behavior accordingly in order to prevent serious accidents.

In order to eliminate the dangers on cliffs, it is essential that both locals and holidaymakers pay attention and heed existing warnings. Coastal protection is an important issue in the region, and the county is committed to taking necessary steps to increase safety at these popular destinations. Warning signs and barriers are just the beginning - awareness of geological mass movements must be sustainably promoted.