SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — A landslide beneath part of the Casa Romantica Cultural Center in San Clemente sent dirt and debris cascading down a hillside Thursday, heavily damaging the center's concrete terrace and shutting down all rail service in the area.
The slide occurred early Thursday afternoon, prompting Metrolink to shut down rail service south of Laguna Niguel, while Amtrak officials said service was disrupted south of Irvine.
Metrolink spokesman Scott Johnson said the suspension of service was done out of caution and will be reopened once it is safe. Johnson said affected passengers can obtain Uber vouchers of up to $50 through Metrolink to get them through the closure area.
CBS 8 reached out to Amtrak over the slide and Amtrak said, "Amtrak will temporarily suspend service between Irvine, California and San Diego on Friday, April 28. Limited train service will be available to San Juan Capistrano. No alternate transport is planned. The Pacific Surfliner train will operate between Los Angeles and Irvine, Calif. The schedule changes are due to a track closure after debris fell from a slope near the rails in San Clemente, Calif."
The slide came nearly two weeks after officials at Casa Romantica first reported ground movement that caused some cracks on the property's patio facing the ocean.
The San Clemente City Council this week approved a $75,000 contract with a geologic contractor to study the ground movement and develop a plan for shoring up the hillside.
According to a city staff report, the ground slippage was first detected April 16 and reported to the city the following day, with the facility reporting impacts to its concrete terrace but no movement of the actual building.
City Councilman Victor Cabral told KCAL9 after Thursday's slide that only a few inches of ground movement had been occurring each day, but on Thursday, about 20 feet gave way, taking parts of the concrete terrace with it.
No injuries were reported, but KCAL reported that a residential structure down the hill from the cultural center had been red-tagged due to concerns about additional land movement.
The slide occurred about two miles north of where the Orange County Transportation Authority is finishing up construction to shore up a hillslide slope near the Cyprus Shore Homeowners Association in San Clemente, officials said.