£13million mansion dangles inches away from crashing into ocean after landslide

480     0
The double mansion was previously awarded the 39th spot on Dana Point
The double mansion was previously awarded the 39th spot on Dana Point's Historic Resources Register (Image: Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

A 10,000sq ft mansion dangles on top of a cliff face after a huge landslide left the £13million home teetering on the brink.

Bit amazingly, officials in California say the scenic home and neighbouring houses aren't in immediate danger, so despite dangling over a mountain, the home is still occupied.

Storms caused the landslide last week in the Dana Point area, bringing mud and debris flowing across the region. One of these storms washed away a portion of the cliff, leaving the visual of the home teetering over the ocean.

The 9,700-square-foot compound is estimated to be worth £12,600,000 ($16 million). The mansion has panoramic views of the surrounding ocean and cliffside, though the recent mudslides have nearly eradicated the greenery that usually lines the mountain.

READ MORE: Two dead in California floods as heavy rain, mudslides and falling trees hammer state

Gales, snow and rain to batter country today with 80mph wind gusts eiqrtiqhxidzrinvGales, snow and rain to batter country today with 80mph wind gusts
£13million mansion dangles inches away from crashing into ocean after landslideThe giant mansion was deemed safe, and the residents have moved back in (Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The city's building inspector assessed residential structures whilst a geotechnical engineer examined the landslide site, according to a statement from the city.

"At this point, the city has deemed that no additional action is necessary, and out of an abundance of caution has recommended that the property owner contract for a professional engineering assessment of the property," the statement read.

£13million mansion dangles inches away from crashing into ocean after landslideAn aerial view of three large homes in Dana Point that are in danger of falling into the ocean (Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

"The house is fine, it's not threatened and it will not be red-tagged," declared the owner, Dr. Lewis Bruggeman, talking to KCAL-TV. He insisted that the city concurred there was no significant structural issue with his house. Yet more rain may arrive in Southern California by Sunday night, potentially lasting until Wednesday.

Two weeks ago, severe storms and flooding tragically claimed at least three lives in California. In Carmichael and Boulder Creek, two men died due to falling trees, while another man was found dead under a redwood tree in his backyard in Yuba City, north-east of San Francisco.

£13million mansion dangles inches away from crashing into ocean after landslideMudslides caused massive damage in California in the last few weeks (Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Hundreds of people turned to Facebook's Crisis Response page for California to share their experiences or offer assistance. The terrible weather affected Los Angeles, causing mudslides in areas with pricey homes and impacting homeless camps across the city.

In Studio City, close to the Hollywood Hills, floodwaters swept mud, rocks, and household items downhill, evacuating sixteen people and declaring several homes unsafe. Downtown Los Angeles has also been hit hard by heavy rain.

£13million mansion dangles inches away from crashing into ocean after landslideGorgeous California home looks like it's dangling over the ocean (Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

During the worst of the flooding, the city had received nearly seven inches of rain, almost half its yearly average. This makes it one of the wettest two-day periods since 1877. Some residents in a canyon area scarred by a 2022 fire have been told to leave their homes because there's a risk of mud and debris flows.

The Los Angeles Fire Department has been busy. They've had over 300 mudslides to deal with and more than 100 reports of flooding and people stuck in cars on flooded roads. Shelters have added beds for the city's nearly 75,000 homeless people.

There have also been several spills. One of them was about 5 million gallons of raw sewage in the Rancho Dominguez area near Compton. Most of this untreated sewage ended up in a channel leading to the Pacific Ocean, so a 7-mile stretch of Long Beach has been closed to swimmers.

Yelena Mandenberg

Print page

Comments:

comments powered by Disqus