Rancho Palos Verdes Slide: 3 Years Later

0:00Three years after heavy rains sparked a monster landslide in Rancho Palos Verde's, the place looks nothing like it used to. Homes got torn up and vanished, leaving big empty patches, while popular seaside trails split open with 20-foot chasms. The city's poured nearly $65 million into fighting it since October 2022, blowing past their $40 million yearly. Budget. Earlier this week, officials closed dozens more trails in the Portuguese Bend area because the grounds cracking up to one foot a week in spots. What was once chill green hills with killer ocean views now feels like a danger zone. Drones are the only way to check the damage without risking. Lives. Folks get why the trails are off limits. City manager R. Mironian says, fishers are too risky for twisted ankles or worse. Hundreds lost utilities back in 2022 and 2023 and displaced residents can't sell homes, leaning on government buybacks, instead. Parking fees at spots like Abelone Cove Park, tanked from $150,000 a year to just $11,000.

1:05On the wildlife side, it's mixed threatened birds like the California Natcatcher and Palos Verde's blue butterfly lost some habitat to split Earth. Sucked in plants, but less foot traffic might help them dodge humans and conservancy groups are saving cacti, collecting seeds for restoration. Full damage checks? Too unsafe for now. While repairs will cost a fortune, hikers still got options like the mage trail at Highridge Park, or pass from Ernie Halle Park. The peninsula's open spaces keep the vibes alive, even as this slide keeps sliding. This has been California News Today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with the story.