On Tuesday morning, a large sinkhole struck an oceanfront Malibu residence tied to Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage, with coastal erosion in the region blamed for the damage.
ABC7 was told by fire officials that crews were sent to the home in the 31600 block of Sea Level Drive at around 5:45 a.m. after reports surfaced of a suspected gas main break. Once there, investigators found that the driveway of Cage’s home had given way, with erosion apparently washing away the ground beneath it.
Authorities said the erosion caused damage to both a water line and a gas line. The Southern California Gas Company responded by shutting off the gas Tuesday morning.
Malibu Officials Respond With Red Tags and Evacuations
Malibu’s leaders acted fast to deal with the threat. Five homes were marked with red tags, which bars people from entering, and an evacuation order was given for those same properties.
“The City’s Building Safety Division and Southern California Gas Company are working to assess the situation,” the City of Malibu wrote on social media Tuesday. “At this time, the City red tagged five homes (prohibited entry). The City’s Building Safety Division and Southern California Gas Company will continue to assess the situation to determine safety concerns for the surrounding area, and will provide updates as they become available.”
The response included several steps:
- Crews dispatched to the scene early Tuesday morning
- Gas shut off by Southern California Gas Company
- Five homes red tagged for prohibited entry
- Evacuation order issued for affected properties
Southern California has felt the effects of the remnants of Hurricane Marie over the weekend. The storm delivered high surf and flooding to the coast.
Cage’s Property and the Storm Context
The Spider-Noir star purchased a four-level, nearly 4,000-square-foot home for $10.5 million, according to a report from The New York Times dated 2024. When contacted by The Hollywood Reporter, Cage’s representative failed to respond before publication.
The soil underneath the driveway had apparently been washed away by erosion, causing the ground beneath it to give way.
Both the Building Safety Division and Southern California Gas Company are still examining safety issues for the neighborhood around them.
The timeline of events Tuesday morning is clear:
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 5:45 a.m. | Crews dispatched to Sea Level Drive |
| Morning | Gas shut off by Southern California Gas Company |
| Later | Evacuation order issued |
The evacuation order was issued for the affected properties.
Safety is currently the priority. The gas has been shut off, and officials are keeping a close eye on the situation below.
Source: hollywoodreporter.com
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