Ongoing landslide near Los Angeles causes weeks-long power shutoffs as heat wave sizzles region

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif.– California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency after a landslide in the oceanside city of Rancho Palos Verdes caused power shutoffs for more than 200 homes and dozens of businesses.The landslide, part of the Greater Portuguese Landslide Complex that was discovered in 1956, recently began accelerating due to intense storm activity over the past two years, officials said. On Thursday, the increased movement from the landslide caused a utility line to start a spot brush fire on the Southern California Edison Shoreline Circuit, the state of emergency said. On Sunday, SCE shut off power to 140 homes in the Portuguese Bend Community Association neighborhood in Rancho Palos Verdes to prevent additional fire starts. The preventative outages spread to another 105 homes in the nearby Seaview neighborhood on Monday.  City officials said for Seaview, 20 homes would have no power indefinitely, and 38 properties would have no power for 1–3 weeks. The remaining 47 properties are expected to regain power by Tuesday evening, the city said. The power outages and ensuing lack of air conditioning come as Southern California is about to undergo an intense heat wave later this week. Heat Advisories and Excessive Heat Warnings are in effect for much of the Los Angeles area on Thursday and Friday, though the threatened neighborhood’s proximity to the ocean will keep temperatures cooler. High temperatures are still expected to reach the mid-upper 80s on both days.In the state of emergency, Gov. Newsom stated that Rancho Palos Verdes is home to four sub-slides within the Greater Potuguese Landslide Complex, and up until 2023, the landslide complex was sliding at an average of several inches per year. However, due to increased storm activity in the last two years, the slide has accelerated significantly. The landslide complex is now sliding an average of 9–12 inches per week, and local government and utility companies could not prepare for the impact that such an acceleration of sliding could cause. Newsom’s emergency proclination directs more state resources to the scene.