Massive landslide threatens homes in Rancho Palos Verdes

Following a destructive rainstorm that pummeled Southern California, a massive landslide is threatening a neighborhood in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Many residents are left dealing with the aftermath including shifting land, gas leaks and red-tagged homes.

“We just bought, so we’re kind of new to the neighborhood,” said Jerry Yutronich, a Rancho Palos Verdes resident. “The anxieties are high [as we] talked to some of the other neighbors.”

The active landslide has damaged neighborhood roads on Dauntless Drive, leaving several homes unlivable as it continues expanding.

“You got movement from the top of the Portuguese Bend area and it moves itself slowly down to Portuguese Bend Beach Club on the water, so it traverses through this neighborhood,” Yutronich explains of the landslide.

The neighborhood abuts a hillside in the active Klondike Landslide Area of Rancho Palos Verdes where two homes were red-tagged in 2023 and trails in the community were washed away.

City officials are working to address the active landslide by moving pipes above ground and keeping groundwater out of the area. The city’s geologist, Mike Phipps, said the recent storms have only accelerated the landslide issues.

“Believe it or not, we’re sitting on the edge of probably the largest active landslide with homes on it in the United States,” Phipps said. “From a geological perspective, we’re dealing with an area with very weak bedrock.”

For these residents, it’s a race against time and water to prevent more property damage.

“I’ve been watching it deteriorate more and more,” said Iven Sorrells, a resident. “You see broken windows on the side over there and it seems like it’s going to fall into the earth very soon.”

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Despite the anxiety of living in landslide territory, some residents said they would still prefer to live in the area.

“I think the location outweighs the risk of living here,” said Yutronich.

City officials said they’re working with state officials on short-term solutions for the area including improving the drainage. A state of emergency for the neighborhood will be extended until April allowing additional resources to be provided for repairs.

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