California landslide halts rail service, homes evacuated

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. (AP) — Officials in Southern California say a coastal landslide closed a historic cultural center, shut down rail service in the area and forced the evacuation of nearby residences. San Clemente city officials say the slope on the western side of Casa Romantica and Cultural Center and Gardens in San Clemente dropped about 20 feet. The building was closed and a geologist is monitoring its stability. Officials say four adjacent residential units were red-tagged as unsafe and evacuated. Falling debris halted rail service on tracks at the base of the cliff. The cause of the slide is under study, but one local official notes that California had extraordinary amounts of rain this past winter.