Nicolas Cage sinkhole drama spirals as neighbors are forced from homes… but there’s no sign of Oscar winner
A sinkhole that opened on Nicolas Cage's Malibu street has forced neighbours from their homes, with the actor himself reportedly nowhere to be seen since the crater appeared. The collapse, discovered by firefighters responding to a suspected gas leak, prompted the City of Malibu to declare an emergency, red-tag multiple properties as unsafe, and cut off gas and water supplies to the affected area.
The sinkhole measured roughly 30 by 60 feet wide and up to 30 feet deep, damaging Cage's driveway and part of Sea Level Drive so severely that fire trucks cannot pass. Seven homes were immediately red-tagged as unsafe, with a further 24 due to follow because access had been cut off; the damage was blamed on coastal erosion, worsened by Hurricane Marie and a strong El Niño. No injuries were reported, evacuees are being offered shelter at Malibu High School, and Cage, who bought the $10.5 million oceanfront home in 2024, has not been seen near the property since the incident.
- Sinkhole on Nicolas Cage's Malibu street forces neighbours to evacuate.
- Seven homes red-tagged, 24 more losing safe access.
- Cage hasn't been seen at his $10.5m home since the collapse.
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Malibu sits on the Southern California coast, an area prone to erosion and landslides that has grown more unstable this year after Hurricane Marie and a strong El Niño weather pattern brought heavy rain and rough seas. Sea Level Drive, where actor Nicolas Cage owns an oceanfront property, is one of several streets exposed to this kind of coastal collapse.
Cage is an Oscar-winning Hollywood actor known for a long and varied film career, and bought the Malibu house in 2024 for $10.5 million. He is a prominent local resident, which is why a sinkhole affecting his street has drawn wider public attention beyond the immediate safety concerns for his neighbours.
Local authorities such as the City of Malibu have powers to declare emergencies and "red-tag" buildings, marking them as unsafe to enter, when structural or ground conditions put residents at risk. Such measures typically involve cutting utilities like gas and water and arranging temporary shelter, as seen here with evacuees directed to Malibu High School.