KTLA

Landslide concerns in Rancho Palos Verdes as latest storm makes way to Southern California

LOS ANGELES – After an extremely wet February, more rain is on the way to Southern California, bringing with it significant concerns about potential landslides in Rancho Palos Verdes.

With several storms hitting the region in February, there has already been major damage in Rancho Palos Verdes, with several homes already being red-tagged due to the shifting soil.

The Seaview neighborhood has been hit particularly hard by the recent storms, leaving the soil extremely saturated, which is causing the land to shift.

“You walk outside and everything’s changed overnight,” Rancho Palos Verdes resident Sherry Bojorquez said to KTLA 5’s John Fenoglio. “This neighborhood has been catastrophic in the past few months.”

1 / 10

Crews have been working to stabilize the Portuguese Bend landslide complex, which spans approximately 700 acres. Although the land in the area has been shifting for quite some time, the heavy rainfall from February has exacerbated the issue.

Now, with more rain expected to hit Southern California over the weekend, some residents of Rancho Palos Verdes are afraid of more damage impacting homes in the area.

“Another storm is coming,” local resident Nikki Noushkam said as she watched repair crews trying to fortify the area. “I don’t know how much this fix will or will not help.”

Local leaders, including L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn, have asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to make an emergency declaration due to the damage caused by the landslides and debris flow in Rancho Palos Verdes.

The National Weather Service says although the upcoming storm won’t bring heavy rainfall like we saw last month, this new system will see prolonged periods of light showers.