105 more homes will lose power in Rancho Palos Verdes amid land movement worries

Rancho Palos Verdes residents were dealt another jolt on Labor Day, as more than 100 homes were added to the list of residences losing electricity, Southern California Edison officials announced on Monday, Sept. 2 amid the worsening land movement in the area.

At 7 p.m. Monday, power will be shut down at 105 homes in the Seaview area, Edison officials announced Monday morning.

Related: With power cut off, dozens of Rancho Palos Verdes residents call for help amid land movement woes

Amid enduring worries about worsening land movement in the area, Edison cut off power Sunday at noon to 140 homes in the Portuguese Bend community and the city responded by posted an evacuation warning. The power shutdown arrived weeks after gas service was cut off in that neighborhood.

Seaview-area homes had not been included in previous warnings from Edison or the city. It was unclear if other areas would face such warnings, but the city warned residents: “Please identify your specific zone, in the event authorities need to issue an evacuation notice in the future.”

The steady, creeping landslide has rattled the area for many months. Just last week, the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council extended a local emergency, spurred by the land movement that increased following the heavy rains that impacted the area starting in the spring of 2023.

“Last night, Southern California Edison (SCE) notified the city and 105 out of 270 Seaview homes that their electricity service will be discontinued for varying lengths of time, due to the risk of utility equipment igniting a wildfire and other hazards caused by downed wires or damaged equipment impacted by landslide movement,” Rancho Palos Verdes officials said in a statement Monday morning. “The power shutoff will start on Monday, September 2, 2024 at approximately 7 p.m. to the following:

— 47 homes will be without power for 24 hours;

— 40 properties will be without power for 1 to 3 weeks;

— 20 properties will be without power indefinitely.”

The affected areas for the power shutoff can be found at rpvca.gov/1707/Land-Movement-Updates. Officials said residents could also check to see whether they are in the evacuation area at protect.genasys.com/search or on the genasys Protect app.

Residents can also call 800-250-7339 Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., and Saturdays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. for updated information.

Unlike issues in Portuguese Bend, according to the city statement, “Seaview’s sewage collection system is gravity fed and operated/maintained by L.A. County Department of Public Works using generators. As a result, there is no imminent public health concern related to the sewer system.”

The statement added: “Without gas and/or electricity service, many residents may choose to seek alternative housing arrangements for the foreseeable future. The city is identifying hotels and other accommodations that can offer discounted rates for residents.”

Residents in the Portuguese Bend had been advised to be ready to evacuate on short notice, but many remain in their homes for now thanks to backup generators in the area.

“SCE has seen a significant increase in the number of repairs needed to keep the power on safely, and we need to perform critical work,” Edison told residents. “We are unable to effectively monitor the situation because of the land movement in the area.”

Homeowners have been providing their own generators. Edison said Saturday that it would not provide generators to homeowners, citing safety concerns amid unstable ground in the area.

The Palos Verdes Peninsula’s largest city first declared a local state of emergency last October because of unprecedented rains that instigated land movement that has since created havoc on roads, homes, hiking trails and a historic structure in the city. That state of emergency, which helps the city seek state and federal funds, was extended to Oct. 5 by the City Council.

City officials issued an evacuation warning Saturday at 3:12 p.m. amid word of the power shutoff in Portuguese Bend . Residents were warned not to use water or plumbing after the electricity was shut off for fear of triggering a sewage spill in the area.

The City and Portuguese Bend Community Association installed generators to keep the sewer system operational. However, Rancho Palos Verdes officials say the evacuation warning will remain in effect in the event of a sewer failure in the interest of public health and safety, according to the city website.

Residents who choose to remain in their homes were advised to limit their use of water and plumbing, especially overnight when generators may be turned off for periods at a time. Ways to limit use include, taking short three-minute showers, avoiding unnecessary flushes, turning off the tap while doing dishes, and running dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads.

“I have to underscore how resilient our community is, and the partnership and the collaboration that transpired at the late hour yesterday, we were able, as of this morning, to provide backup generators at three lift stations,” Rancho Palos Verdes City Manager Ara Mihranian said during a press conference on Sunday morning, “which enable the sewer system to continue to operate while the power is being shut off.”

However, the city will be continuing to maintain the evacuation warning, Mihranian added.

Residents impacted by the power shutoff were able to access resources through the city’s Emergency Assistance Center on Sunday at the Ladera Linda Community Center, 32201 Forrestal Drive. The center was open again on Monday.

The city and other agencies were available to answer questions about the emergency situation, hotels with discounted rates, pet and animal relocation, mental health support, emergency preparedness and other needs.

Edison also sent a customer care vehicle to the neighborhood area at Narcissa Drive and Fruit Tree Road, where residents could connect to power and perform such tasks as charging cell phones and connecting to other resources. The vehicle will continue providing services through Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Residents can call Edison at 1-800-250-7339 Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturdays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. for the most up-to-date information on the situation. Information is also available at https://energized.edison.com/rpv.

The city has been dealing with land-movement concerns since it was incorporated in 1973, Mihranian said, and it will continue to monitor the land movement and provide support to residents affected by it.

“Over the past few weeks, the county has mobilized to do everything in our power to help,” county Supervisor Janice Hahn. “We’re sparing no expense, because a crisis of this magnitude is not something any city should face on their own. This is bigger than Rancho Palos Verdes, this land movement is so gigantic and so damaging that one city or one homeowner’s organization should not have to bear this burden alone.”

Hahn said that the county will continue to urge Gov. Gavin Newsom to come to the city and see for himself the buckling streets, buildings sinking and cracking apart, and now 140 families that may be forced to leave their homes at a moment’s notice.

“There is no playbook for an emergency like this one,” said Hahn. “We’re sparing no expense.  This is bigger than Rancho Palos Verdes. This land movement is so gigantic and so damaging, that one city should not have to bear the burden alone.”

“(State and federal) representatives are not present,” resident Nikki Noushkam said on Sunday. “The only representative that we have present is Hahn and nobody else shows up.”

Noushkam has lived in her home on the outskirts of the Portuguese Bend Community Association neighborhood for 20 years. Her house has endured foundation damage, roof damage and more, she said.

“I need to address this for people, we are not rich people, we’re working professionals,” Noushkam said. “I cannot afford to go and get another house, I still need to pay this mortgage and taxes on my house, and it’s already hard enough here in Southern California.”

L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna and Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said their respective agencies would continue to provide public services to residents amid the evacuation warning. They also reminded residents to be prepared for a potential evacuation order if necessary.

Luna said he authorized the use of drones to help guard against possible criminal activity targeting the homes of residents who might leave the area.

On Aug. 28, officials said that land movement the pervious weekend caused an approximately 10,000-gallon sewer spill on private property along Palos Verdes Drive South near Narcissa Drive. The Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, the agency that operates the main trunk sewers that transport wastewater out of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, responded to stop the spill and make an emergency repair.

“It is the city’s understanding that this incident was the first significant break in LACSD’s infrastructure due to ongoing land movement,” according to a city statement. “We continue to work closely with LACSD to expedite permitting for repair work, as needed, as well as efforts to install an above-ground by-pass sewer pipe along Palos Verdes Drive South.”

A fire on Thursday, near Narcissa Drive in the Portuguese Bend area, helped accelerate Edison’s decision, said Larry Chung, Southern California Edison Vice President of Customer Engagement Division. The small blaze was ignited after a power line fell, setting shrubs afire nearby. The fire was put out promptly, but concern endured among Edison’s decision makers.

“Southern California Edison recognizes just how devastating it’s been for many of the city’s community members as the land moves at this unprecedented pace,” Chung said.

“I want to reiterate again our commitment to safety, our commitment to the community, and that this decision was not taken lightly,” Chung added. “It’s something that we’ve considered greatly in partnership with a lot of the public service agencies and entities, including the city.”

On Sunday, Cal Water District confirmed that they will continue water service to the community for both residents in their homes and for fire protection, said Rancho Dominguez District Manager Ralph Felix.

While the sewer system remains in operation, said a representative from the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, if there is an emergency there will be immediate shutoffs and an activation of an emergency response plan.

Recently, the community learned that the land movement actually has its source much deeper into the Earth than experts previously thought.

After drilling past a 165-foot slip plane of the slide to relieve pressure from emergency hydraugers pumping out ground water to stabilize the land, the city’s geology team found another slip plane — this one at twice the depth.

This new, deeper slip plane is at about 330 feet below the surface, Public Works Director Ramzi Awwad said during last week’s RPV City Council meeting. The revelation is yet another complication the city must deal with as it tries to control the land movement that has upended much of RPV’s normal way of life.

City News Service contributed to this report 

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