More than 100 additional homes in Rancho Palos Verdes will have their power cut off due to worsening landslides in the area, city officials said Monday.
This time, 105 of the 270 homes in the Seaview neighborhood will have their lights turned off starting at 7 p.m. Monday, authorities said. Earth movements endanger electrical equipment and could spark a wildfire, among other dangers, if power lines are electrified, authorities said.
The power outage will impact much of Seaview, a mid-century modern complex designed by master architect Paul Williams in 1960 that features touches such as stone fireplaces, space-age light fixtures and vibrant bursts of color atop an ocean cliff.
City officials said 47 homes will be without power for just 24 hours, but 38 will be without power for one to three weeks, and 20 others will be without power indefinitely.
It was the second power outage in as many days in the area, a peninsula about 30 miles (50 kilometers) south of downtown Los Angeles known for its ocean breezes, scenic views and luxury homes. On Sunday, authorities cut power to 140 homes in the Portuguese Bend area of Rancho Palos Verdes, about a mile (1.5 kilometers) down the coast. In that case, authorities also issued an evacuation warning, meaning residents should prepare to leave if ordered to do so.
Other neighborhoods could also be without power if conditions worsen.
The crisis is due to landslides that have been slowly moving earth in the region for decades and have suddenly accelerated, reaching up to 30 centimeters per week recently. Authorities have attributed torrential rains over the last two winters to the cause. Roads have collapsed and houses have collapsed.
“There is no plan for an emergency like this,” Los Angeles County Executive Janice Hahn said Sunday. “This is a crisis that is getting worse every day.”
Hahn said she has committed $5 million from the county to respond to the disaster, but the community needs state support. She said she wants Gov. Gavin Newsom to “come to Rancho Palos Verdes and see the landslide for himself.”
City officials said they can’t solve the problem alone. The city, which has a population of about 42,000, has poured resources into finding a solution. The landslide affects only a small portion of the city’s homes, but fixing the problem will take more than the city can do, officials said.
The Rancho Palos Verdes City Council is scheduled to hold a special meeting Tuesday at 3 p.m. to declare a local state of emergency. The council could also vote to authorize the mayor to ask Newsom to declare a state of emergency and provide assistance.
“This is much bigger than the city itself, and without the help of our partners at the county, state and federal levels, we cannot find real solutions to delay the movement of land,” said City Councilmember Dave Bradley.
