Chalk cliff collapse at Jasmund National Park on Rügen prompts path warning

Roughly 4,500 cubic meters of the chalk coast collapsed at Jasmund National Park on Rügen, prompting officials to urge visitors to stay on designated paths. The slide extends about 45 meters, and debris reaches up to ten meters into the Baltic Sea. Unlike earlier major collapses, the 70-million-year-old chalk remained stable; the Ice Age cover layer, loosened by accumulating water, gave way. Such collapses are part of the steep coast's natural development. In March, 9,000 cubic meters detached after thawing. Geologist Ingolf Stodian says the coast is unpredictable and dangerous at all times.