Multiple California Mansions Close to Falling Off Cliff After Landslide

At least three coastline homes in southern Orange County, California, are at risk of falling into the ocean after the cliffside they are built on crumbled in a landslide over the weekend, according to reports.

Footage by ABC7 shared on social media shows one home in Dana Point hanging off the cliffside and partially suspended in the air, while two others appear dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. A few feet below the homes, the camera points to the land that fell when the cliff gave way.

The collapse of part of the Dana Point cliff followed heavy rains in southern California earlier this month, which caused landslides and flooding across the region. In northern California, three people were killed by fallen trees as the historic storm battered the region, while record rain caused devastating flooding in southern California and led to Orange County residents being evacuated from their homes in affected areas, like San Clemente.

According to the broadcaster, the three homes affected all sit on Scenic Drive in Dana Point, a spot with a view of the ocean. The Orange County Fire Authority told ABC7 that it had not received any calls about the landslide.

One of the homeowners told ABC7 off-camera that his house was safe and had not been red-tagged by city authorities. A Dana Point longtime resident, Jan Cocchiara, told the local broadcaster that he'd be concerned if he lived in those homes. "I don't know if it's because of all the development that the hill's been compromised."

The city of Dana Point told ABC7 that no further action will be taken in the area affected by the landslide.

In response to a request for comment from Newsweek, the Orange County Fire Authority said it didn't "have any further information about the homes." The city of Dana Point told Newsweek: "A landslide occurred early last week at a blufftop location adjacent to Scenic Drive in the city of Dana Point. The City's geotechnical engineer and a building inspector went out to the site to assess the situation, as well as talk with the homeowner who owns the residence and slope where the failure occurred. Currently the city has confirmed that there is no imminent threat to the home, and no further action is being taken at this time."

The Orange County community was also recently affected by an earthquake that was felt through its territory on February 9, as reported by the Orange County Fire Authority, which warned residents against possible aftershocks.

The New York Post reported that the value of the homes teetering off the edge of the cliff in Dana Point is estimated to be up to $15.9 million, citing data from Redfin. According to the real estate company, the homes are worth about $15.9 million, $14.1 million and $12.9 million respectively, as reported by the New York Post.

The recent heavy storms in California were a nightmare for many homeowners whose insurance didn't cover all or any of the damages. According to CNN Business, only 1 percent of the 7.7 million households in the counties affected by the deadly storms were able to make claims on flood damage. Landslides are not covered by flood insurance.

Update 2/14/24, 4:40 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include comments from the Orange County Fire Authority and the city of Dana Point.