Sliding hillside has Newport Beach residents living on edge
Multiple homes in the Dover Shores neighborhood of Newport Beach are once again at risk of being damaged by a landslide, which began all the way back in March.
Seven months later, work on the constantly sliding hillside continues, but residents living inside of two homes on Galaxy Drive are quite literally living on edge as a result of the slide earlier this year.
"The wall is starting to lean right now because the hill is so saturated that the dirt keeps sinking down and this keeps peeling off every day," said Bob Holcomb, a superintendent for Holcomb Engineering.
Back in March, one of the homes most severely impacted by the first landslide was demolished. Several other homes nearby lost massive chunks of their backyards, but were able to remain occupied.
However, in recent days, the land has begun to move at a more worrisome pace.
Not only is the lingering threat a daily concern, but an incoming weather that is expected to be rainier than most adds to that sense of worry.
"We've got El Niño coming,' said Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley. "We cannot waste any more time. We need to cut through the bureaucracy. We need to get the hillsides built. We need to allow the property owners to protect their homes and get prepared for El Niño."
Records from the area show that bluff failure has occurred in the past in the surrounding area.
Despite claims from those living in the area, the city of Newport Beach denies that a clogged and overflowing storm drain contributed to the slide.
