January 24, 2023 10:15 a.m. 

A small sink hole measuring 20-feet wide and 15-feet deep has been discovered at Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area near Pacific City.

A release from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department said staff were alerted to the presence of the sink hole Sunday morning and cordoned off the area for safety. It is in the lower northwest corner of the dune.

Park Manager Jason Elkins said visitors should respect the barriers that are in place and observe from a distance.

The release said Cape Kiwanda is a rarity for the Oregon coast in that it is a sandstone outcropping. Sandstone is naturally much weaker and prone to sudden changes compared with hardier rock like basalt.

OPRD is looking into possible causes of the sink hole and will continue to monitor the situation.