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City of Malibu officials declared a local emergency after a sinkhole formed under the driveway of a luxury beachfront home owned by actor Nicolas Cage, forcing the evacuation of more than 30 properties in the area. The hole expanded to 30 feet deep and measured 30 by 60 feet wide by Tuesday evening, restricting access for residents and emergency services along a private road. According to the city’s statement, the sinkhole was reported early on September 8 but is believed to have begun developing a day earlier, prompting immediate safety measures across the neighborhood. The New York Times reported that the collapse occurred at the property Cage purchased in 2024.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/09/us/malibu-sinkhole-nicolas-cage-house.html)
The Southern California Gas Company shut off natural gas service to an 85-foot section of the street after the incident caused a leak just before 6 a.m., with the utility stating that the leak was brought under control several hours later. Authorities initially closed the road and barred entry to five nearby homes before expanding the evacuation order as the hole continued to grow. AP News reported that the action served as a precaution tied to coastal erosion risks in the zone between the Pacific Ocean and Pacific Coast Highway. No immediate comment came from representatives for Cage.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/malibu-driveway-collapse-nic-cage-erosion-marie-2bd3a67b83f46e79d0b78b5d462fb7fa)
Nicolas Cage acquired the nearly 4,000-square-foot, four-level residence for $10.5 million two years ago, with the property featuring direct beach access in a gated celebrity enclave. Property records reviewed at the time of the 2024 sale identified Cage as the buyer, according to multiple outlets that cross-checked public filings. The Associated Press noted that the home had previously sustained damage during a coastal flooding advisory linked to the remnants of a tropical system known as Marie. This event marks the latest disruption for oceanfront structures in Malibu, where such incidents have drawn repeated attention from local regulators.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/malibu-driveway-collapse-nic-cage-erosion-marie-2bd3a67b83f46e79d0b78b5d462fb7fa)
The collapse coincided with powerful surf conditions from a recent tropical system that had impacted Southern California for days, as NBC News detailed in its coverage of the unfolding situation. Malibu officials coordinated with utility crews and emergency responders to secure the site while assessing risks to surrounding infrastructure. Coverage from The New York Times highlighted how the growing cavity under the driveway escalated public safety concerns in a neighborhood already accustomed to environmental pressures. City statements emphasized that the expanded evacuation supported broader efforts to protect residents and prevent secondary hazards.[[3]](https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/sinkhole-threatens-mansion-once-linked-to-nicolas-cage-269512261659)
By Tuesday evening, the local emergency declaration enabled additional resources for response operations as monitoring of the sinkhole continued. SoCalGas described its service interruption as a temporary measure while crews evaluated the area for further instability. The incident has drawn video documentation from multiple news organizations, including footage showing the scale of the collapse outside the Cage-owned property. Officials have not yet provided a timeline for when evacuations might be lifted pending further engineering assessments.[[4]](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/czezr8g1n3eo)
