Luxury Homes In Australia Are Falling Into The Ocean Due To Coastal Erosion

In a coastal neighborhood in Australia’s New South Wales state, luxury beachfront homes are in danger of collapsing into the ocean.

Residents in more than 40 houses along Wamberal Beach — located 90 kilometers (55 miles) north of Sydney — have had to evacuate in recent days as coastal erosion threatened to damage or destroy the homes.

The multi-million dollar properties sit on a cliff above the water, but days of strong swells have eaten away at the land, causing the cliff face to crumble. Videos from last Friday show white waves surging up the cliff, almost reaching the houses, leaving broken staircases and debris in the sand as the tide pulls away.

This weekend, some homes saw their backyards swallowed by water, or front porches and balconies partially collapsed. Authorities declared dozens of homes “at-risk,” and residents were given two hours to pack their belongings and evacuate during low tide, according to CNN affiliate Nine News.

It’s not clear when they’ll be allowed back into their homes; authorities have shut off power, gas, and water to the most high-risk properties and fenced off the danger zone, as the Central Coast Council asks members of the community to stay away from the area.