Part of California highway near Big Sur falls into the sea

March 19, 2011 A 40-foot section of scenic about 12 miles south of, California crumbled into the  on Wednesday, preventing access to the popular tourist area of   from the north.

The collapse of the southbound lane of the two-lane highway, also known as the, follows several days of rain. The soil under the northbound lane is also in danger of giving way. Drivers heading north were blocked at the ; the rest of the road has been closed to traffic indefinitely. A long closure is expected to hurt the tourist business upon which Big Sur and and the tiny surrounding communities depend.

The  (CHP) said no one was injured.

The section that collapsed is on a curve south of the, where the highway clings to  the scenic , and near the Bixby Creek Bridge,  one of the "iconic" s that make this stretch of the highway with its dramatic vistas such a well-known scenic drive.

The cause of the collapse was not apparent as the road surface looked new, and no seeping water was visible. "It's basically just nature," a CHP officer said.

With Highway 1 closed, drivers wishing to access Big Sur from the north could go inland on  and pass through  the. To return to the coast drivers must pass over a steep, winding mountainous road. This route adds at least an hour to the journey.