The number of Rancho Palos Verdes homes without natural gas will approach 200 this week, with the Southern California Gas Company announcing that it will stop service to another 54 homes because of unprecedented land movement.

SoCal Gas will shut off service to 29 homes in the western Seaview area and 25 homes in Portuguese Bend Beach Club on Friday afternoon, a little more than a month after 135 homes initially lost natural gas because the shifting earth, the utility company said, has made it dangerous to offer the service in some areas of the Greater Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex. The indefinite shutoff will go into effect around 3 p.m. Friday, the utility company said in a Thursday, Sept. 5, statement.

The latest shutoffs are necessary because of issues with gas lines and other hazards, So Cal Gas said. A gas line broke on Exultant Drive, in Seaview, on Aug. 30, prompting the utility company to shut off service to 16 homes on Admirable Drive, eight homes on Dauntless Drive and five homes on Palos Verdes Drive.

In the Portuguese Bend Beach Club community, gas service will be stopped to homes on Sea Urchin Lane, Seascape Road, Seawall Road, Spindrift Drive, Spindrift Lane and Yacht Harbor Drive.

“Land movement continues to impact the gas line on Palos Verdes Drive South, which has necessitated the discontinuation of gas service to homes located there,” the SoCal Gas statement said, adding that the line there also serves the Beach Club community. “Due to isolation of the gas line on Palos Verdes Drive South, there is no operational way to safely continue gas service to homes (in the Beach Club).”

There is no timeline for when service will be restored.

SoCal Gas also warned residents to not attempt to connect to other fuels on their own.

“If your natural gas service is turned off, please do not attempt to restore service or to connect alternative fuels like propane to your natural gas meter,” SoCal Gas said. “Doing so is unsafe.”

The expansion of gas shutoffs is the latest blow to residents living on top of the massive landslide complex in Rancho Palos Verdes, with Southern California Edison also turning the power off to around 250 houses late last week and earlier this week, forcing residents who want to stay in their homes to either buy costly generators — or live as if it were the pre-electric era.

RPV has also seen the land movement slowly sunder homes, close hiking trails, force the iconic Wayfarers Chapel to be dismantled and generally upend life in the normally idyllic city.

This story is breaking news. Check back for updates.

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