A huge sinkhole in front of Nicolas Cage’s Malibu home prompted the declaration of a local emergency. Dozens of the actor’s neighbors were forced to leave their homes.
The collapse destroyed the driveway of the oceanfront residence, which, according to media reports, belongs to the Oscar winner. The private road serving the gated community was also seriously damaged. Cage reportedly purchased the mansion for $10.5 million in 2024.
By Tuesday, September 8, experts measured the size of the crater; they were approximately 9 by 9 meters. Seven houses were considered to be in immediate danger, and another 24 were indirectly affected, as their residents could no longer travel safely in their cars.
For those who were left homeless, a temporary shelter was opened at Malibu High School.
The collapse followed severe weather associated with Tropical Storm Marie, which previously reached hurricane strength while remaining out at sea. Additional rainfall and high tides may place new stress on the damaged area.
When the sinkhole was first noticed on September 7, it was noticeably smaller. One of the local residents said Los Angeles Magazinethat at first homeowners considered the two-meter hole to be a minor problem.
We thought it could be fixed pretty quickly
Then, he said, “real chaos began.” The sinkhole grew rapidly over the next day, as AFP journalists watched water from the ocean flow into it.
The gas supply was turned off after the leak was discovered, and the local water utility independently shut off its own lines to prevent damaged mains from aggravating the situation.
Repair crews may need more than a month of work, and it is unclear when residents will be able to return to their homes. Despite the scale of destruction and evacuation, no casualties were reported.
Nicolas Cage is known for his roles in films such as Con Air and National Treasure. The actor also recently starred in Spider-Man Noir, a spin-off of the Spider-Verse cartoons that received high critical acclaim but was not renewed for a second season.
