To those who have not been paying attention to the culture wars for the last several years Mount Soledad has a Cross that was erected to honor war dead from WWI WWII and Korean wars.  The ACLU has been fighting on behalf of atheist groups to remove the cross.  A federal appeals court upheld the order to remove the cross and the US Supreme Court stayed the order.  Congress has passed a law allowing the federal government to purchase the land.  The Supreme Court is considering whether to accept the case.
 
To see how close the Cross is to where the landslide location is check this map out http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Soledad+Mountain+Rd,+La+Jolla,+CA+92037,+USA&ie=UTF8&ll=32.82422,-117.237039&spn=0.006329,0.011265&t=h&z=17&om=1
 
 

Landslide on Soledad Mountain Road

La Jolla Residents are a little anxious today and with excellent reason.   Today many residents of La Jolla are making alternative living arrangements while the situation is being evaluated.

 As many as 24 La Jolla Luxury homes are in immediate danger from today's sinkhole as a result of the landslide.  Residents in the area have been evacuated and power turned off to 2,144 customers as a precaution today.   In addition gas lines and water & sewer lines have been shut off in the area.
 

The sinkhole is in the middle of Soledad Mountain Road between Desert View Drive and Palomino Circle and is approximately 12 feet deep. Reportedly authorities have been worried about this area, having warned residents last night.

One of La Jolla homes has already come off its foundation and its roof collapsed.   The road in the area is blocked by 25 feet of dirt.   Home owners of La Jolla homes on Soledad Mountain Road, Palomino Circle and Desert View Drive (which is situated below the affected area) have been evacuated.  The Red Cross is setting up an aid station for the evacuees and emergency staff.

At least three significant hill slides have occurred in the vicinity between 1961 and 1994 prior to today’s slide.