Coastal California City Deploys Massive Fix-It Effort as Earth Moves Beneath Homes

Rancho Palos Verdes officials try to firm up the ground and repair buckled roads, even enlisting some of Elon Musk’s engineers.

Damage resulting from ongoing land movement in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., on Sept. 3. Mario Tama/Getty Images

In a small enclave of coastal Los Angeles County, city officials have declared an “all hands on deck” effort to steady the land, which is moving at an alarming rate.

A landslide is creating unsafe conditions for hundreds of residents who have had their gas and electricity shut off, with California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently declaring a state of emergency for the area.