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Merika · 06-02-2005, 08:05 AM

Calif. Landslide Sends 18 Homes Crashing

By BEN FOX, Associated Press Writer
June 1, 2005, 3:55PM EDT US

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. - A landslide sent 18 multimillion-dollar houses crashing down a hill in Southern California early Wednesday as homeowners alarmed by the sound of walls and pipes coming apart ran for their lives in their nightclothes. At least four people suffered minor injuries.

About 1,000 people in 500 other homes in the Blue Bird Canyon area were evacuated as a precaution.

In addition to the 15 to 18 houses destroyed, several homes were damaged and a street was wrecked when the earth gave way around daybreak in the Orange County community about 50 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

"People were running down the hill like a bomb had gone off. I mean literally, they had their bed clothes on," said Robert Pompeo, 56, a retiree whose home is about 75 yards from the ridge where the most homes were lost.

Officials said they had no idea what caused the disaster. The landslide followed the second-rainiest season on record in Southern California, but Laguna Beach has been dry since a trace of rainfall nearly a month ago.

Residents began reporting problems around 5 a.m. and the hillside gave way between 6 and 7 a.m.

"The pipes started making funny noises and the toilet sounded like it was about to explode," said Carrie Joyce, one of those who fled. "I could see one house, huge, we call it `the mausoleum,' 5,000 square feet or more. It had buckled, the retaining wall in the front of it was cracked. It just looked like the whole house was going."
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I wonder if they had insurance to cover this? On the direct beach here...it's limited how much coverage you can really get. Then again...if you can afford a multimillion dollar house....maybe all is well.

06-02-2005, 08:05 AM	#1 (permalink)
Merika Retired Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 1,000	California Landslide Calif. Landslide Sends 18 Homes Crashing By BEN FOX, Associated Press Writer June 1, 2005, 3:55PM EDT US LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. - A landslide sent 18 multimillion-dollar houses crashing down a hill in Southern California early Wednesday as homeowners alarmed by the sound of walls and pipes coming apart ran for their lives in their nightclothes. At least four people suffered minor injuries. About 1,000 people in 500 other homes in the Blue Bird Canyon area were evacuated as a precaution. In addition to the 15 to 18 houses destroyed, several homes were damaged and a street was wrecked when the earth gave way around daybreak in the Orange County community about 50 miles southeast of Los Angeles. "People were running down the hill like a bomb had gone off. I mean literally, they had their bed clothes on," said Robert Pompeo, 56, a retiree whose home is about 75 yards from the ridge where the most homes were lost. Officials said they had no idea what caused the disaster. The landslide followed the second-rainiest season on record in Southern California, but Laguna Beach has been dry since a trace of rainfall nearly a month ago. Residents began reporting problems around 5 a.m. and the hillside gave way between 6 and 7 a.m. "The pipes started making funny noises and the toilet sounded like it was about to explode," said Carrie Joyce, one of those who fled. "I could see one house, huge, we call it `the mausoleum,' 5,000 square feet or more. It had buckled, the retaining wall in the front of it was cracked. It just looked like the whole house was going." ----------------------------------------------------------------- I wonder if they had insurance to cover this? On the direct beach here...it's limited how much coverage you can really get. Then again...if you can afford a multimillion dollar house....maybe all is well.