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A SINKHOLE OPENED UP NORTH OF SAN DIEGO IN LA JOLLA this morning around 9:00 am Pacific time. A section of a four-lane road went down along with one of the homes in the neighborhood.
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The homes were built 40 years ago on a “slide plain” that is susceptible to shifting. It was strongly advised at the time to not allow building on that hill, but you know how money talks.
At least three significant hill slides have occurred in the area between 1961 and 1994, including a major failure in 1961 that destroyed seven homes under construction.
Street cracking began on Soledad Mountain Road in July and escalated in August, along with breaks in water and gas lines, the The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
City officials said Monday they were moving quickly to prevent catastrophic loss. They sent letters two weeks ago to alert residents and began knocking on doors Monday.
A firm hired by the city last month was in the area this week after a large section of slope on Mount Soledad began to slip, Hawk said. The city began noticing cracks on Soledad Mountain Road in July and became concerned about a landslide three or four weeks ago.
The city sent letters to residents Monday and Tuesday warning residents, and the outside firm hired by the city recommended Tuesday that four homes be evacuated, Hawk said.
Today the evacuation order was extended to 20 homes. The occupants were advised to get whatever valuables they wanted out of their house and expect to never be able to return.
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