Sept. 9 (UPI) — A large sinkhole opened up under the driveway of the beachfront Malibu home of Nicolas Cage Tuesday as high winds, tides and waves from Hurricane Marie slammed the shoreline.
It’s unclear if anyone was home at the time of the collapse, which exposed a 30-by-60-foot sinkhole, now filled with glass windows and other home items. Other neighboring homes were evacuated because the sinkhole was expanding and the high tides caused a gas leak at the home.
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Around 6 p.m., the city of Malibu declared a local emergency and ordered the evacuation. “Authorities warn that these conditions are likely to worsen with forecasted high tides and rain caused by Hurricane Marie,” the city posted on X. It also said there was a coastal flood advisory until 11 p.m. Tuesday.
Marie is expected to weaken and dissipate in the next two days.
Fire officials said crews were dispatched to the 31,600 block of Sea Level Drive East, near Point Lechuza at 5:45 a.m. when they got a report of a broken gas line. Authorities closed the road and prevented people from accessing five neighboring homes. By evening, they expanded the evacuation order to 31 area homes.
The American Red Cross opened an evacuation shelter at Malibu High School.
Actor Nicolas Cage bought the home in 2024 for $10.5 million, The New York Times reported.