Newport Beach families left in limbo after dangerous landslide threatens their homes
Big chunks of a patio behind a Newport Beach home overlooking the Back Bay continue to fall down a steep hillside three days after a landslide displaced several families near Galaxy Drive.
"That means the soil isn't as stable as everyone would like to see," said Newport Beach spokesman John Pope. "With that movement that means that safety becomes a continued concern and that's why homes continue to be red-tagged."
Since Friday, the beige Newport home has remained off-limits as the land underneath a corner of the house continues to chip away. The homes on either side of the red-tagged home remain yellow-tagged as building inspectors say the structures aren't suitable to be lived in.
"I've talked to all three affected residents and they are sad," said Newport Beach City Councilperson Erik Weigand. "They're bummed they weren't expecting this to happen they just want to live in their home — protect their home. We just cant have them living in there until we get an answer and understand the true reality of where we are in the situation.
Homeowners have been unwilling to talk about the situation. The elderly woman that lived in the red-tagged home is now in the care of her son.
Meantime, there are concerns about more rain forecasts for later in the week and further saturation of the slope. City crews have hauled in flexible pipes to re-route stormwater that typically flows through underground fixtures and into the Back Bay. According to the city, the storm drain was functioning properly until the slide took out part of the system.
City officials expressed concern about the potential rainfall coming on Friday and throughout the weekend.
