Huge landslide forces people to flee their homes as nearby area shuts down
Residents in southern California have had to be evacuated from their homes following a major landslide.
Rail services in the San Clemente area have also had to be shut down as a result of the huge landslide.
The slope on the western side of Casa Romantica and Cultural Centre and Gardens in San Clemente dropped about 20 feet (about 6 meters) on Thursday afternoon after several days of minor earth movement, city officials said in a news release.
The building was closed and a geologist is monitoring its stability, officials said.
Casa Romantica announced that it was temporarily closed and all events were cancelled after the landslide on its ocean terrace.
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The landslide in San Clemente caused the residencies to be evacuatedFour adjacent residential units were red-tagged as unsafe and evacuated, officials said.
Falling debris halted rail service on two Metrolink lines and Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner, officials said.
After torrential rains earlier this month, residents of three clifftop apartment buildings and one nearby building in San Clemente fled their homes when the land began to shift and slide away from their backyards and they were warned they might not be allowed back for a while.
Cracking appeared on the terrace at Casa Romantica on April 16, and the City Council approved spending $75,000 for a local geological firm’s assessment, the Orange County Register reported.
The patio of Casa Romantica submerged dragging some of the slope with itCrews were drilling to install equipment to measure movement Thursday morning when the earth began moving, Councilmember Kevin Knoblock told the newspaper.
During Thursday's work, the small patio gradually shifted and lifted from the ground as the cement underneath its tiles gave way.
At 1 pm, the concrete in the lower section of the back corner had completely dropped down the hillside, taking some of the slope along with it.
A portion of the hillside fell close to the railroad tracks but thankfully, nobody was injured during the incident.
However, four condos on the building’s lowest level were red-tagged, displacing the residents, out of concern that if more earth or debris were to fall, it could smash windows or otherwise endanger their safety, Mr Knoblock said.
Casa Romantica is a historic building and non-profit organization located in San Clemente, California that provides cultural programs.
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