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

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 …