Rancho Palos Verdes Residents Express Frustration and Seek Assistance Amid Landslide Crisis
Residents of Rancho Palos Verdes expressed their frustration and sought assistance from the City Council following significant disruptions caused by ongoing landslides, ABC7 reports.
The landslides have led to the cutting of electricity and gas supplies to affected homes.
At the city council meeting on Tuesday evening, residents voiced their concerns and frustrations, with some emphasizing their determination to remain in their homes despite the challenges.
“We are not leaving. This community is not leaving,” said resident Tim Kelly.
He questioned where displaced residents would be relocated, expressing a strong unwillingness to evacuate.
The city council faced criticism, particularly from residents who placed blame on Southern California Edison for the handling of power outages. The utility company had notified residents in the Portuguese Bend area on Sunday that their power would be shut off with less than a day’s notice, and similarly, residents in the Seaview area received only a few hours’ notice before their power was cut. State Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi criticized the short notice and called for improved regulation of utilities to prevent such failures.
In response to the crisis, Governor Gavin Newsom declared the state of emergency on Tuesday to allocate state resources for relief efforts. The landslide, which has impacted 680 acres in Rancho Palos Verdes, has been exacerbated by heavy rains from the spring of 2023. The movement has resulted in damage to homes, roads, and utilities.
Residents in the Portuguese Bend area have been placed under an evacuation warning, while those in Seaview have not. For updates on land movement and evacuation zones, residents can visit the Rancho Palos Verdes website or use the Genasys Protect app to check their status.
