Twelve homes were evacuated in Rolling Hills Estates Saturday night after the ground shifted, causing major cracks and leaving some structures “visibly leaning.”
The cracks in the homes, which are on Peartree Lane bordering a canyon, were visible both on the outside and inside, said Los Angeles County Fire Captain Chiyoshi Hasegawa. Investigators arrived at the scene about 4 p.m. Saturday.
L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who represents the area, called the incident “a major landslide” in a tweet Saturday night. She said sheriff’s deputies will patrol the area to ensure the evacuated homes are secure.
Hasegawa disputed Hahn’s terminology, saying there was a “shift” in the ground under the homes as well as in the concrete of the road.
Hahn said she spoke to some residents who were being evacuated.
“Everyone is safe but right now these homes are too unstable to enter,” she tweeted. “I’ve already spoken with our Public Works Director … and are offering the city and our residents our full support.”
What caused the ground to shift and the cracks to appear is not yet known.
About 16 people were evacuated. Liz Odendahl, Hahn’s communication director, said they were all staying with family members.
“She saw multiple homes visibly leaning,” Odendahl said of Hahn. “There were visible damages to homes.”
Utilities were shut off to all the homes to reduce the risk of fire, Hasegawa said.
“To be on the safe side, we have evacuated them, because it wouldn’t have been livable for them,” he said.
A specialist is expected to survey the land to determine what will happen to the homes.
Jeong Park
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