New land movement in Rancho Palos Verdes sparks concerns

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif. - A section of bluffs in Rancho Palos Verdes collapsed over the weekend, damaging several homes. 

While no injuries were reported and nearby homes were deemed safe, the incident has heightened concerns in a city already grappling with long-term land movement issues.

What we know:

City officials confirmed that late Saturday night, approximately 300 to 400 feet of bluff along Marguerite Drive collapsed, dropping 50 to 60 feet toward the ocean. 

Four homes were damaged in the incident, authorities said. Inspections by city officials determined that none of the surrounding homes were unsafe, and no evacuation orders have been issued.

Geologists emphasized that this collapse is considered an isolated incident, separate from the ongoing land movement at Portuguese Bend, located about four miles down the coast.

The backstory:

The Portuguese Bend landslide has been a slow-moving disaster since 1956, when road construction destabilized the ground. Over the decades, the land has continued to creep toward the sea, a problem that has worsened in recent years.

In 2023 and 2024, record-breaking rainfall over consecutive winters accelerated the movement, splitting roads, cutting utilities, and forcing dozens of homes to be red-tagged. The city has installed and expanded underground wells and pumps to help remove groundwater, but the ground there continues to shift.

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What's next:

City officials continue to monitor the stability of the area. For now, no evacuations are planned, but residents remain on alert as concerns grow about the region’s long-term vulnerability to land movement.