California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency on Tuesday for the city of Rancho Palos Verdes amid the ongoing land movement threatening hundreds of homes.
The proclamation, issued early Tuesday afternoon, comes as the city works frantically to mitigate the damage from the slow-motion natural disaster, which has displaced many residents and caused officials to shut off electricity indefinitely to 135 homes in the community.
That shutoff began on Sunday.
To make things worse, Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor John Cruikshank noted that the city’s sewage system runs on electricity, so water sewage cannot be ejected from some homes safely and properly, creating significant sanitation and health concerns.
“The city is located on four out of five sub-slides that comprise the Greater Portuguese Landslide Complex,” the governor’s office said Tuesday. “Land movement at that part of the complex has significantly accelerated following severe storms in 2023 and 2024.”
Newsom’s Office of Emergency Services has been coordinating with city and county officials for nearly a year to support them in responding to the land movement. This includes providing technical assistance, facilitating a federal mitigation grant and helping officials with initial damage estimates.
For the latest updates on land movement, visit the city of Rancho Palos Verdes’ Land Movement Updates webpage.
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