Malibu Sinkhole Prompts Local Evacuation Order; 31 Homes Red Tagged
Malibu officials have issued an evacuation order for much of the Point Lechuza community near Broad Beach after a sinkhole opened in the driveway of a beachfront property, ruptured a gas main and caused part of the roadway to collapse. The order matters because storm-driven flooding is worsening across Southern California's coast, with several other beach communities, including Pacific Palisades, Long Beach and Dana Point, also reporting evacuations or red-tagged homes from the same wave and tide surge.
The city said seven homes have been red-tagged as hazardous due to the sinkhole, with a further 24 red-tagged because they have lost safe vehicular access, bringing the total to 31. Gas supplies to the area have been cut off and water may follow, while officials warned that the surviving stretch of road is too narrow for fire engines and other emergency vehicles. The city cited both immediate risks from Hurricane Marie's rainfall and surf, under an active coastal flood advisory, and longer-term concerns over a forecast "Super El Niño" this winter, which the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says has a more than 90% chance of being a very strong event bringing record sea levels and severe coastal flooding.
In short
- Malibu evacuates Point Lechuza homes after driveway sinkhole and road collapse
- 31 homes red-tagged; gas cut off, water supply also at risk
- Hurricane Marie surf and a forecast Super El Niño raise further flooding fears
Explained simply
A sinkhole is a hole formed when the ground gives way, and it can damage roads and underground pipes. On a coast, heavy rain, high surf and flooding can weaken land and make roads unsafe or cut off access to homes.
Local officials assess damaged properties and may mark them as hazardous, or “red-tag” them, meaning people should not use them until safety concerns are addressed. Homes can also lose safe access if the road is damaged, even when the buildings themselves are not judged hazardous.
Residents depend on roads and utility lines for emergency services, gas and water. Wider coastal flooding can affect several communities at once, making evacuation routes and safe access important for both residents and emergency crews.