A massive sinkhole has opened beside Nicolas Cage’s beachfront home in Malibu, forcing evacuations from dozens of nearby properties after powerful waves and coastal erosion damaged a private road leading to the actor’s $10.5 million mansion.
The collapse happened on Sea Level Drive in western Malibu at about 5.45am on Tuesday, September 8. Part of the driveway and roadway fell away, leaving a deep crater close to the property and cutting off access for residents and emergency services.
The City of Malibu declared a local emergency and ordered the evacuation of 31 properties in the area. The affected homes were red-tagged after officials warned that the unstable conditions could worsen with high tides and further rain. ([malibucity.org](https://malibucity.org/m/NewsFlash/Home/Detail/2151?utm_source=openai))
Images from the scene showed the scale of the damage, with a portable toilet lying at the bottom of the hole and sections of the road swallowed by the collapse. Cage’s property was boarded up at the front, while the sinkhole could be seen extending across the rear of the home.
Los Angeles County firefighters and sheriff’s deputies responded after the collapse was reported. A gas leak was identified and Southern California Gas Company attended the scene, while water supplies were also shut off as a precaution against further damage to underground infrastructure. ([malibucity.org](https://malibucity.org/m/NewsFlash/Home/Detail/2151?utm_source=openai))
Sinkhole beside Nicolas Cage’s Malibu home
Malibu officials said the damage was caused by coastal erosion following strong surf and high tides linked to Hurricane Marie, which had weakened to a tropical storm before becoming post-tropical. The National Weather Service warned of dangerous beach conditions along the Southern California coast as Marie moved offshore. ([marine.weather.gov](https://marine.weather.gov/product.php?format=CI&glossary=0&issuedby=EP&product=TWD&site=OTX&version=1&utm_source=openai))
Kyle Tourjé, vice-president of Los Angeles structural repair company Alpha Structural, said ageing sea walls were among the possible causes of the collapse.
“A lot of these houses are built on sea wall that’s very old,” he said. “The house above might be newer but what’s below could be 70 years old. When you get these surges, they can pull the dirt out from underneath the sea wall which causes sinkholes.”
He said some walls may also be too low to withstand powerful waves, while seepage pits used by many Malibu properties could weaken the soil if seawater enters them.
“Sometimes the sea wall isn’t high enough which has the same effect,” Mr Tourjé said. “These are very common sea wall problems.”
The damage left the only access route to the homes blocked, prompting the city to establish a temporary shelter at Malibu High School for residents ordered to leave. Officials said the sinkhole had not significantly expanded overnight on Wednesday, while the homeowners’ association began repair work under city permits. ([malibucity.org](https://www.malibucity.org/AlertCenter.aspx?AID=9826-Evacuation-orders-for-Sea-Level-Dr–3684&utm_source=openai))
The incident highlights the risks facing properties along Malibu’s highly sought-after coastline, where oceanfront homes command millions of dollars but remain exposed to storm surges, erosion and landslides.
Mr Tourjé said anyone buying in the area should establish the age and condition of the sea wall, while existing owners should arrange regular inspections of foundations, drainage, plumbing and coastal defences.
“If you already live there, you need to regularly get the foundations inspected, the sea wall inspected and the plumbing checked,” he said. “You have to be proactive about maintaining it to make sure your property isn’t at risk of subsidence.”
