Malibu Orders 31-Parcel Evacuation as Sea Level Drive Sinkhole Blocks Emergency Access

All 31 parcels are under a mandatory evacuation

MALIBU, Calif. — Malibu ordered a mandatory evacuation for 31 parcels along Sea Level Drive after a sinkhole cut off the coastal neighborhood's only road and prevented normal access by fire engines, sheriff's vehicles and other emergency equipment, according to a city update posted Wednesday.

The city said all 31 properties have been red-tagged because of hazardous conditions and the loss of safe emergency access. That does not mean officials found structural damage at every residence: Malibu's emergency proclamation says seven residences were initially red-tagged for direct hazardous conditions and 24 additional parcels were affected by the access failure.

No injuries were reported. The mandatory evacuation and red tags remained in place Wednesday evening, and the city had not announced when residents could safely return.

The roadway collapse blocks the neighborhood's only access

The incident was reported at approximately 5:45 a.m. Tuesday, September 8, after a beachfront driveway collapse extended into Sea Level Drive near 31630 Sea Level Drive. The street has a single point of entry and exit, leaving the remaining roadway too narrow for fire engines and other large apparatus, the proclamation says.

The city estimated Tuesday that the sinkhole was approximately 25 to 30 feet deep and about 30 feet by 60 feet wide. Those are preliminary dimensions from the emergency proclamation, not a current engineering survey. Malibu said Wednesday that the sinkhole and surrounding erosion did not significantly expand overnight.

Southern California Gas shut off gas service Tuesday evening, and Los Angeles County Waterworks District 29 shut off water service to reduce the risk of utility breaks while the ground remains unstable, according to the city.

Repairs may take about five weeks

Malibu said the homeowners association began permitted repair work and that additional repair and shoring work is expected to take about five weeks. That estimate depends on site conditions and should not be treated as a guaranteed reopening date.

The city is coordinating with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Southern California Gas, the American Red Cross and the homeowners association. A temporary Red Cross shelter is available at Malibu High School, 30215 Morning View Drive.

Residents should stay out of red-tagged properties and the damaged road area until officials lift the restrictions. Entering a site with unstable ground or blocked emergency access can endanger residents and responders.

City attributes the collapse to coastal erosion linked to Hurricane Marie

Malibu's Wednesday update attributes the sinkhole to coastal erosion from high waves and tides associated with Hurricane Marie. The proclamation says the collapse is believed to have begun Monday, September 7, before it was reported early Tuesday.

That is the city's current assessment. The reviewed notices do not include a final geotechnical or engineering report, so they do not establish the complete sequence of soil, roadway, drainage and wave conditions that produced the collapse.

The city said the damage expanded from a private beachfront driveway into the public access route. The public-safety emergency arises not only from the hole itself but also from the inability of full-size emergency vehicles to reach the neighborhood.

The reported celebrity ownership is secondary to the emergency

The Associated Press and The Guardian reported that property records link the collapsed driveway to a home owned by actor Nicolas Cage. His representatives did not respond to the outlets' requests for comment.

The precise ownership of one property does not change the emergency affecting 31 parcels. No reviewed official notice says Cage was present, injured or involved in the response, and What’s the Scoop With Broach is not making such a claim.

What remains unknown

Officials have not released a final engineering cause assessment, a complete parcel-by-parcel damage inventory or a firm date for restoring utilities and safe access. The five-week repair estimate may change as crews expose unstable soil and evaluate shoring needs.

It is also important to distinguish the 31 red tags from 31 confirmed structural failures. The city's public documents describe a combination of direct hazards and lost emergency access, not a finding that every house suffered physical damage.

Residents should follow the City of Malibu's emergency updates and instructions from on-scene officials. Photographs and video from outside the restricted area can document conditions, but spectators should not enter the evacuation zone or obstruct repair and emergency crews.

About the image

The accompanying image is an authentic March 13, 2010 file photograph of coastal cliffs at Point Dume in Malibu. It provides regional coastal context but does not show Sea Level Drive, the sinkhole, evacuated homes, damage, residents or responders.

Photographer tmastro licensed the image under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 through Wikimedia Commons. Its use does not imply endorsement by the photographer, affected residents, the City of Malibu or Wikimedia Commons.