Residents in the Portuguese Bend Community of Rancho Palos Verdes remain under an evacuation warning after their power was shut off Sunday due to shifting land that’s been moving at an accelerated speed.
City and county leaders gathered Sunday to discuss the next steps amid Southern California Edison’s shutoff, which will affect 140 homes in the area. The move comes a month after SoCalGas ceased its service to the community due to land movement.
More power shutoffs are planned for Monday night.
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The evacuation warning comes as the city braces for the power shutoff, which caused concern about a potential sewer spill. Ara Mihranian, City Manager of Rancho Palos Verdes, said backup generators provided by the city and county eased those concerns and spared residents of an immediate evacuation.
“There is no playbook for an emergency like this one,” County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who represents the area, said. “... We're sparing no expense. ... This is bigger than Rancho Palos Verdes. This land movement is so gigantic and so damaging, that one city, or one homeowner, should not have to bear the burden alone.''
According to Anthony Marrone, Fire chief of the County of Los Angeles Fire Department, the land movement has been shifting since 1956. In recent years, however, it’s been moving at a dangerously accelerated pace – now moving 88 times faster than it was in October 2022.
“I recognize how difficult and overwhelming this devasting and continuing land movement has been for the residents of the Rancho Palos Verdes community over the past year,” Chief Marrone said. “Our primary objective at the fire department is to ensure the continued safety of all residents.”
To help mitigate the emergency, Hahn announced the county will use an additional $5 million to respond to the disaster. She also called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to visit the city and see the worsening land for himself to allocate support from the state.
“Yes, this landslide has been moving for decades but the acceleration that’s happening currently is beyond what any of us could have for told and demands more response from the federal government,” she said.
In preparation that the evacuation warning elevates to an order, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna urged impacted residents to prepare for such matters. To alleviate concerns residents may have of potential thieves, Luna said his department added increased patrols in the area.
“As residents may be leaving as a result of this warning and/or a pending order, please be assured that our department is going to do everything we can to make sure these properties are safe,” he said. “We have had issues in the past. Not only will we add additional resources to this area, but this morning, I did authorize the use of drone usage for this area.”
In a direct message to anyone who is considering burglarizing the impacted homes in the event of mandatory evacuations, Luna said the following:
“(Deputies) are ready to arrest you,” the sheriff said. “You’re going to go to jail if you come here to steal anything. Do not think about it, do not even go there.”
According to Hahn, the Ladera Olympic Community Center is operating as an emergency assistance center for impacted residents. It is located at 32201 Forrestal Dr.
Rancho Palos Verdes residents can check the city’s website to see if they fall under areas impacted by the power shutoff. Community members can click here to see if the are in an evacuation area.
