A sinkhole forced evacuations of 31 oceanfront homes on Sea Level Drive in Malibu on Tuesday, Sept. 8. The city declared a local state of emergency after the collapse opened a hole 25 to 30 feet deep and roughly 30 by 60 feet wide near Lechuza Beach.

Coastal erosion from Hurricane Marie's high surf eroded the ground beneath the private road, according to city officials. LA County Fire and Sheriff's deputies responded to the 31600 block of Sea Level Drive around 5:45 a.m. after reports of a broken gas line and discovered the sinkhole.

Seven homes were red-tagged for hazardous conditions. Another 24 were ordered vacated because the remaining roadway is too narrow for fire engines, according to the city's emergency proclamation. Sheriff's deputies went door to door, and the city pushed a digital alert through its Everbridge notification system.

City Manager Joseph D. Irvin signed the emergency proclamation in his role as Director of Emergency Services. The proclamation said conditions posed extreme danger to people and property. The declaration was made in consultation with LA County Fire and the Sheriff's Department, according to the city's official notice.

No injuries had been reported as of Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Southern California Gas Co. crews found damage to a half-inch natural gas line and shut off gas service to the area, CBS News Los Angeles reported. Water service could also be cut if conditions worsen.

Building inspectors determined the instability began developing Monday, Sept. 7. A seawall between two properties failed, washing out the ground behind three homes, the New York Post reported. At least 15 concrete trucks lined up along the gated community off Broad Beach Road. They entered one at a time on the narrow private road to dump concrete into the hole before the evening high tide.

The National Weather Service issued a Coastal Flood Advisory through 11 p.m. Tuesday for the Malibu coast, with breaking waves of 4 to 7 feet and local sets up to 8 feet. The city's proclamation warned conditions are likely to worsen, citing a strengthening El Niño pattern that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center says has a greater than 90% chance of persisting through winter.

The property at 31630 Sea Level Drive belongs to actor Nicolas Cage, according to real estate records cited by the Los Angeles Times. KTLA noted it had not independently verified that reporting. The New York Post reported Cage, 62, purchased the home in 2024 for $10.5 million.

The city said it is also monitoring coastal erosion along Pacific Coast Highway in the Palisades Fire burn area and at Westward Beach. The emergency proclamation carries the force of law until Sept. 15 and expires on that date unless the Malibu City Council votes to ratify it within seven days. The American Red Cross set up a temporary shelter for displaced residents at Malibu High School, 30215 Morning View Drive.