There is an eerie silence on a usually busy road, with the distant sound of trees cracking from the landslip below. That’s the scene at Smugglers Haven Tea Rooms this morning (Monday), after a landslide took the car park and toilet block down, along with several gardens.
Officers from Isle of Wight council and Island Roads are this morning assessing the extent of the landslide that took place along between Bonchurch Shute and Smugglers Haven last night.
Residents say the recently-new owners at Smugglers Haven Tea Rooms have really turned the cafe around. The situation must be devastating for them.
Resilience team assessing the situation
A spokesperson for the council said they have a team assessing the situation and are looking at options for people returning to properties to collect personal effects.
They are also working on establishing a helpline for residents to call.
Evacuations
20 properties were evacuated last night, and this morning, police are knocking on doors on the seaward side of Leeson Road between Bonchurch Shute and Smugglers Haven, advising residents to evacuate.
Speaking to one resident who has been affected, the first they knew of the landslide was a police officer knocking on their front door last night.
They were offered a room at Daish’s Hotel in Shanklin, but opted to stay elsewhere. Having left with nothing apart from the clothes on their back, they, and others, are now keen to know when they can return to their properties.
Drone footage
The council will be sending a drone up around the area to capture the extent of the damage, but as you can see from the photos below it is extensive.
Click on the photos to see full size
