A large sinkhole, roughly 30 ft by 30 ft, opened outside a house in Malibu that is reportedly owned by Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage. The collapse followed heavy rain in southern California over recent days and was first noticed by nearby residents who reported an 8‑ft hole forming on Monday. “At that point, the homeowners were not overly concerned,” one resident told Los Angeles magazine, adding that they thought it could be fixed quickly. “But then, he continued, ‘all hell broke loose’.”
By the early hours of Tuesday the ground gave way further, creating a 30‑ft crater that swallowed much of the home’s driveway. Broken asphalt, concrete and construction debris were left inside the hole, and the collapse triggered a gas leak that emergency services had to secure. SoCalGas confirmed the leak had been contained.
Traffic cones have been placed around the crater, and waves from the sea front can be seen lapping in the hole and rushing out again under the stanchions that support the home. The damage occurred after a Los Angeles coastal flooding warning was issued in connection with Tropical Storm Marie, which had previously been a hurricane. Although the storm remained offshore, it brought rain and high waves to Southern California.
Malibu City officials have declared at least five homes on the street unsafe for entry and warned residents that emergency access is “severely constrained,” with the area “may be impassable due to the large portion of the road that has collapsed.” The actor bought the home in 2024, according to a New York Times report shortly after the sale.
Representatives for Cage have not yet commented on the incident. The incident highlights the vulnerability of coastal properties to sudden ground failures during heavy rainfall events.
