Mudslide Caused by March 14 Storm Closes Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu

LA County, in coordination with Caltrans, closed a portion of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) today, Friday, March 14, 2025, due to storm-related issues from this week’s weather.

The closure was triggered by a mudslide in the Palisades burn scar area, as reported by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) at 3:50 PM PDT.

PCH is under a hard closure from Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu to Chautauqua Boulevard in Pacific Palisades until further notice, with additional closures affecting Las Flores Canyon Road and Malibu Canyon Road.

This action follows a powerful storm that hit Southern California Wednesday through Thursday, March 12–13, bringing heavy rain and raising concerns about mudslides and debris flows in fire-damaged areas like the Palisades burn scar. Caltrans had initially reopened PCH this morning at 8:26 AM PDT under a “soft closure,” limiting access to residents, essential businesses, and school buses. However, by 2:52 PM PDT, Caltrans announced a full closure again after assessing slopes near Big Rock Drive, where mudslides were occurring, restricting access to only emergency workers.

The decision reflects ongoing safety concerns from saturated soils and debris flows exacerbated by the storm, which dumped 1 to 2 inches of rain along the coast and up to 4 inches in valleys.

Earlier this week, PCH had been preemptively closed starting Wednesday at noon (March 12) due to flood and debris flow risks, reopening briefly today before the latest mudslide prompted today’s renewed closure. Posts on X from LASD and Caltrans confirm these developments, aligning with broader reports of storm impacts across the region.