Malibu declared a local emergency and evacuated 31 homes after a massive sinkhole collapsed the driveway of Nicolas Cage’s oceanfront property on Sea Level Drive.
Nicolas Cage’s Malibu Driveway Collapses Into a Massive Sinkhole
A coastal Malibu neighborhood faced urgent evacuation orders after a giant sinkhole opened up in the driveway of an oceanfront residence owned by actor Nicolas Cage.
Property records show the oceanfront estate was sold in 2024, with the prior owner confirming Cage as the buyer. By Tuesday evening, the gaping hole measured roughly 25 feet deep and stretched 30 by 60 feet wide.
Evacuations and Gas Line Ruptures Along Sea Level Drive
The incident triggered a natural gas leak just before 6 a.m., drawing a swift response from utility crews. Utility provider SoCalGas brought the leak under control after several hours, though workers temporarily shut off natural gas service along an 85-foot (26-meter) section of the street to protect against ongoing coastal hazards.
The city of Malibu responded with a formal emergency declaration, ordering evacuations across 31 homes in the gated community abutting Lechuza Beach. Authorities red-tagged seven specific residences due to hazardous structural conditions, while another 24 homes were red-tagged because the sinkhole destroyed safe vehicle access in and out of the street. The city prohibited entry to five total homes on the street Tuesday, officials said in a statement.
“Emergency personnel access is severely constrained and may be impassable, due to the large portion of the road that has collapsed. The intact portion of the roadway is too narrow to accommodate emergency response vehicles, including fire engines and other large apparatus, creating a substantial risk to public safety and emergency response capabilities.”
City of Malibu, emergency declaration
City officials established a temporary evacuation shelter at Malibu High School, at 30215 Morning View Drive, for the affected properties. While gas has been shut off in the affected area, city officials warned that water service may also be discontinued as conditions warrant.
Severe Weather and Regional Coastal Erosion Risks
The mansion was damaged during a Los Angeles-area coastal flooding advisory over lingering effects of Marie, which had been a hurricane before turning back into a tropical storm. While Marie did not make landfall, it brought rain and churned up dangerous waves along the Southern California coastline over the holiday weekend. The National Weather Service issued high surf and coastal flood advisories until 11 p.m.
Large breaking waves of 4 to 7 feet were expected, with local waves of up to 8 feet, according to the weather service. Currents could be dangerous and potentially life-threatening, while significant beach erosion and flooding in low-lying coastal areas during high tide was also expected. In the emergency declaration, the city also noted the danger of further coastal erosion posed by this fall and winter’s El Niño event.
“A strengthening ‘super’ El Niño brings a high risk of record sea levels, severe coastal flooding, and dramatic beach narrowing to the California coast this winter.”
City of Malibu, emergency declaration
Cage, 62, is an award-winning actor whose accolades include an Oscar and Golden Globe for his role in the 1995 film Leaving Las Vegas,
having appeared in more than 100 films. He recently starred in the Amazon Prime Video series “Spider-Noir,” which despite being an awards season favorite has been canceled, and he will play John Madden in a biographical film about the NFL coach and commentator out later this year. It remains unclear how long the evacuation order will remain in place.
