Janice R. Andrews
IN RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA.— In the Southern California city of Rancho Palos Verdes, a landslide that is getting bigger has put multimillion-dollar homes at risk and told people they need to leave. The landslide, which has been a problem in the oceanside neighborhood for a while, got worse over the weekend, causing city officials to remove over 100 homes.
The people who live in the 680-acre area that was damaged by the landslide have been living with its effects for a year now. Southern California Edison (SCE) cut power to 140 homes on Sunday and planned to cut power to another 105 homes by Monday night. People were told to leave their homes on Sunday.
The power company said in a statement, “SCE has determined there is a threat to public safety.” “Service to these areas will be cut off at 12 p.m. PST on September 1, 2018, ending the electricity.” When the power goes out, don’t use water or plumbing. This could cause a sewer spill.
Rancho Palos Verdes, which is about 30 miles south of Los Angeles, has had problems with land shifting for many years. But things got worse after it rained a lot in the spring of 2023. The changes happened more quickly, which damaged homes, roads, and infrastructure in a big way.
During a news meeting on Sunday, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who is in charge of the area, stressed how unusual the situation was. “There is no playbook for an emergency like this one,” said Hahn. “We’re not skimping on anything. It’s bigger than Palos Verdes Ranch. This land shift is so huge and bad that it shouldn’t be the responsibility of just one city.
Hahn said that the county has set aside $5 million to deal with the ongoing problem. He also asked Governor Gavin Newsom of California to go to the area and declare a state of emergency. “Yes, this landslide has been moving for decades, but the acceleration that’s happening currently is beyond what any of us could have foretold, and it demands more response from the state, more response from the federal government,” Hahn said.
Cal OES, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, is keeping a close eye on things with emergency officials in Los Angeles County. “The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services remains in communication with the City, County, and FEMA on the dynamic situation in Rancho Palos Verdes, including the recent actions by local utilities, as we evaluate the appropriate next steps,” Cal OES said in a Monday statement.
The fall has already done a lot of damage. Water and gas pipes are leaking, and at least two homes have been marked as unlivable with a red tag. This month, the moving land caused a 10,000-gallon sewer spill on private property, which made things even more difficult. One person in the area was angry and told the ABC station in Los Angeles, “It’s just kind of mind-blowing.” There’s no way this is legal.
As things change, officials are telling people to stay alert and leave when they are told to in order to stay safe.
