TL;DR: On Sept. 8, 2026, Malibu declared a local emergency and ordered evacuations for 31 Sea Level Drive homes after coastal erosion opened a massive driveway sinkhole and broke a gas line.

What happened on Sea Level Drive

Los Angeles County Fire Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department crews responded at about 5:45 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, to the 31600 block of Sea Level Drive East near Point Lechuza after driveways collapsed, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles.

Two driveways had collapsed due to coastal erosion from high tides and high surf, city officials said, according to CBS Los Angeles. Aerial footage showed beachfront homes with a large hole where driveways had been located.

The failure centered near 31630 Sea Level Drive, the address identified by the City of Malibu in its emergency proclamation, according to the City of Malibu Alert Center. The Fire Department estimated the sinkhole at about 30 feet by 30 feet, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles.

The oceanfront property is linked in multiple reports to actor Nicolas Cage. Real estate records cited in local coverage identify Cage as owner, with FOX 11 Los Angeles reporting he purchased the home in 2024 for a reported $10.5 million. Officials confirmed the home was unoccupied at the time and no injuries were reported, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles.

Images from the scene showed one end of a driveway collapsed and a large sinkhole opened in pavement. Waves were seen lapping into the hole and rushing out again under the stanchions supporting the home.

Why Malibu declared an emergency

The Director of Emergency Services of the City of Malibu declared the existence of a local emergency after consultation with the LA County Fire Department and LA County Sheriff's Department, according to the City of Malibu Alert Center.

The proclamation cited public safety concerns as an expanding sinkhole restricts vital access for residents and emergency services, according to the City of Malibu Alert Center. Authorities warned conditions were likely to worsen with forecasted high tides and rain caused by Hurricane Marie.

A Coastal Flood Advisory was in effect until 11:00 p.m. on Sept. 8, 2026, according to the City of Malibu Alert Center. FOX 11 Los Angeles described the system as former Hurricane Marie, with officials warning that high tides and rain could further undermine the bluff.

The city said churning surf had eaten away the dirt bluff under oceanfront houses, and officials pointed to likely damage to sewer pipes or septic tanks. Malibu.FM reported that surf eaten away under five oceanfront houses had possibly exposed septic tanks.

The collapse also caused a gas leak. The Sheriff's Department and Fire Department closed the private road and identified the gas leak, with Southern California Gas Company on site working on the leak.

The Southern California Gas Company was summoned to shut off gas, according to a fire department spokesman quoted in early reports. The City's Building Safety Division and Southern California Gas Company continued assessing safety concerns for the surrounding area.

Evacuations expand from 5 to 31 homes

Malibu first red-tagged five homes, meaning prohibited entry, while building and gas officials assessed the collapse. By Tuesday evening, the evacuation order covered all affected properties on Sea Level Drive, with 31 properties red-tagged.

Sheriff's deputies notified residents in person, and the city issued a digital alert through Everbridge, according to the City of Malibu Alert Center. By 6 p.m., some residents were seen leaving with suitcases, and entry into the neighborhood was blocked.

A total of 31 houses above Lechusa Beach were red-tagged Tuesday evening, with occupants of 29 of them leaving at least temporarily, Malibu.FM reported. All but two homeowners were reportedly obeying the order, according to sheriff's deputies quoted by KTLA and cited in that local account.

No vehicles or pedestrians were being allowed into the neighborhood during the response. Cement trucks were lined up on Broad Beach Road Tuesday afternoon, ready to unload wet cement into the gaping hole in front of several houses on Lechusa Beach.

The homes are on or near Sea Level Drive, a private beachfront road partly undermined by ocean action west of Victoria Point and accessed off Broad Beach Road. The expanding sinkhole restricted vehicle access both to front homes perched over the beach and to houses on the inland side of the dead-end road.

Road access for residents and emergency services was described as impossible while the ocean continued eating away support for the road. That loss of access was a central reason for the evacuation order, not only damage to individual structures.

Shelter and resident instructions

A temporary shelter was established by the American Red Cross at Malibu High School for the affected properties, at 30215 Morning View Drive, Malibu, CA 90265, according to the City of Malibu Alert Center.

Residents under evacuation order were told to leave and stay out of red-tagged properties. Deputies delivered in-person notice in addition to the Everbridge digital alert.

For preparedness, this incident shows why coastal residents should keep evacuation bags packed and keep vehicles fueled and pointed toward the single access road. When officials close a private road and prohibit pedestrians and vehicles, residents who delay leave with suitcases under pressure.

Households should confirm they are registered for city emergency alerts and know the designated shelter address before roads close. In this event, the city used both door-to-door notice and Everbridge, but road loss meant return trips were not possible.

Residents with gas service should treat any sinkhole, cracked driveway, or exposed pipe as a possible gas emergency and report it immediately. Here, the driveway collapse broke a gas main, requiring shutoff work by Southern California Gas Company alongside fire crews.

Repairs and wider coastal erosion watch

According to the city, the homeowners association, which controls the private roadway, began repairs within hours of the incident, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles. Repairs were expected to be completed in about five weeks, the city added.

The City's Building Safety Division and Southern California Gas Company said they would continue assessing the situation and provide updates as available. The city said it was actively monitoring and responding to coastal erosion in areas including Pacific Coast Highway in the Palisades Fire burn area and at Westward Beach due to strong waves and high tides.

The city was also watching erosion on Pacific Coast Highway near Big Rock. Emergency repairs were underway Sunday on Pacific Coast Highway at La Costa Beach, apparently by Caltrans. At Westward Beach, additional beach washed away Sunday and Monday west of the rock revetment installed in late August.

Malibu officials said they were preparing for potential strong storms, strong waves, heavy rain, mudslides, and coastal erosion possible along the entire Southern California coast due to forecast strong El Niño conditions. That statement was issued the same day as the Sea Level Drive evacuation.

For preppers, the broader lesson is to watch cascading infrastructure failure. Erosion here threatened driveways, a private road, gas lines, and possibly sewer pipes or septic systems at once, cutting emergency access for dozens of homes beyond the first damaged lot.

Sources referenced