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The Landslide
Disaster Timeline
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| June 5, 1964 |
Converse Foundation Engineers report cites
numerous ancient landslides and 10 recent landslides in the Anaheim Hills
area. It ascribes the weakened condition of the slope to high ground water
conditions |
| 1967 |
The City of Anaheim changes its specification
for water service pipe from copper to polyethylene for cost reasons. |
| August 20, 1971 |
Converse report confirms 1964 observations
and conclusions. |
| 1971 to 1973 |
Serrano Road was graded
and paved as a 24 foot road. |
February 16, 1972
to April 6, 1976 |
Anaheim Hills is annexed by the City of Anaheim.
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| June 1972 |
Environmental Impact Report 80 References
prior landslides and numerous areas of high groundwater. It also references
periods of extreme rainfall (over 9 inches in Jan) in previous 20 years. |
| 1973 |
California Department of Mining and Geology
Report 15 Describes ancient landslides in the Anaheim Hills area. |
| 1973 |
Aerial photographs show landslides in Anaheim
Hills. |
| May 22, 1973 |
City of Anaheim grants approval to develop
homes over known landslides in Anaheim Hills. |
| 1975 to 1979 |
Polyethylene water service pipe installed.
Inspected and accepted by the City of Anaheim. |
| 1978 |
Pegasus landslide occurred. |
| June 30, 1978 |
Sidewalks begin to buckle on Serrano Ave,
southwest of Williams Circle and northeast of the Rimwood slide area, report
of Converse says leaking water service pipes are the cause. |
| June 5, 1978 |
City of Anaheim Seismic Element 23 shows
possible ancient landslides in Serrano Avenue area. |
| March 26, 1979 |
City discovers leaks in polyethylene water
pipes in Tracts 8153 and 8080. Irvine Ranch has similar problems. |
| May 24, 1979 |
Geotechnical consultant says that Anaheim
Hills is on an ancient landslide. |
| August 8, 1980 |
City of Anaheim memo says landslide data
should be updated on Seismic Element 23 based upon " recent experiences
" in Anaheim Hills. Suggests a meeting to " discuss the implications "
due to the " sensitive nature of the landslide data ." |
| 1981 |
California Department of Mining and Geology
Bulletin 204 delineates ancient landslides in Anaheim Hills. |
| March 5, 1981 |
City of Anaheim Seismic Element 23 shows
two ancient landslides in Anaheim Hills with a " high probability" of sliding
. |
| January 6, 1982 |
City of Long Beach sues Celanese for failures
of polyethylene water service pipe. |
| March 16, 1982 |
City of Anaheim states it is in the process
of investigating areas other than tracts 8080 and 8153 where Celanese pipe
may have been used. |
| June 7, 1982 |
City of Anaheim revises specification for
water service pipe from polyethylene to copper. |
| January 5, 1983 |
City of Anaheim files Complaint against Celanese
Corp. "Because of the brittle condition of the pipe, spot repair proved
ineffective. As the number and frequency of leaks in the same lines increased,
these lines had to be replaced." |
| June 1992 |
Eberhart & Stone are hired by the City
to investigate complaints. |
| July 2, 1992 |
Eberhart & Stone first views the slide
area. |
| August 19, 1992 |
City notifies selected homeowners of earth
movement. City claims it has no idea of the cause. City will protect its
facilities. Families are told by the City of Anaheim that they should take
steps to protect their property. |
| August 25, 1992 |
Water services are replaced for two properties
on Columbus. |
| October 1, 1992 |
City begins to replace all of the polyethylene
water service pipe on Columbus. |
| November 9, 1992 |
Eberhart & Stone informs the City Attorney
that ground movement is the result the reactivation of a massive ancient
landslide. |
| December 9, 1992 |
City and Eberhart & Stone meet with selected
homeowners to discuss Rimwood earth movement. City down-plays significance
of movement, tells homeowners not to worry. Claims it has no idea what
is causing the movement.
Town Hall Meeting held at the Canyon Hills Library. Mayor
Tom Daly and his City Council were invited to address the homeowners about
the pending landslide disaster. They all refused to attend the meeting. |
| January 16-17, 1993 |
Anaheim Hills collapses. |
| January 19, 1993 |
40 families are told to evacuate. Evacuated
streets included:
-Avenida de Santiago
-Burlwood
-Rimwood
-Leafwood
-Pegasus
-Georgetown Circle
Natalie Lockman admits that City of Anaheim officials
were aware 6 months previously of a potential slide problem. Lockman said
that the slide area has been dormant for 15 million years and became active
in the summer of 1992 slipping an inch. However, between January 16 and
19 the area slid another 3 inches.
City required families to sign waivers of liability before
they could return to their homes for clothing, schoolbooks or other belongings. |
| January 20, 1993 |
Town Hall Meeting held at the Anaheim Hills
Golf Course. Mayor Tom Daly and his City Council were invited to address
the homeowners about the landslide disaster. They all refused to attend
the meeting. |
| January 21, 1993 |
Ground movement at 1 inch per day. City of
Anaheim says the ground has moved more than 8 inches in some areas. |
| January 23, 1993 |
Rimwood Drive moves 14 inches in one week.
City of Anaheim wells are pumping over 300,000 gallons
of water per day! |
| January 27, 1993 |
Town Hall Meeting held at the Mormon Church.
Mayor Tom Daly and his City Council were invited to address the homeowners
about the landslide disaster. They all refused to attend the meeting. |
| February 10, 1993 |
Town Hall Meeting held at the Anaheim Medical
Plaza. Mayor Tom Daly and his City Council were invited to address the
homeowners about the landslide disaster. They all refused to attend the
meeting. |
| February 11, 1993 |
46 homes evacuated to date. City says it
is possible that the slide could remain unstable for several years. Three
new significant cracks found in the sewer line on Avenida de Santiago.
(July 1, 1993 City of Anaheim tells FEMA that 50 homes were evacuated.)
Land still moving at l/8 to 3/4 of an inch per day. Still
pumping out 200,000 gallons per day. |
| February 12, 1993 |
City of Anaheim experts don't know how to
stabilize the earth. Current approach of pumping out groundwater has not
worked in the past and may not now. The area is so precarious that normal
rainfall could be hazardous to residents for years. |
| February 17, 1993 |
Town Hall Meeting held at the Anaheim Medical
Plaza. Mayor Tom Daly and his City Council were invited to address the
homeowners about the landslide disaster. They all refused to attend the
meeting. |
| February 24, 1993 |
Town Hall Meeting held at the Anaheim Medical
Plaza. Mayor Tom Daly and his City Council were invited to address the
homeowners about the landslide disaster. They all refused to attend the
meeting. |
| March 18, 1993 |
Homeowners may see a "hazard abatement" charge
on their bi-monthly utility bills. City of Anaheim is considering ways
to share costs with homeowners such as assessments or turning over the
responsibility to the homeowners' associations. |
| March 1993 |
236 polyethylene water services are torn
out and replaced with copper. |
| March 29, 1993 |
Town Hall Meeting held at the Mormon Church.
Mayor Tom Daly and his City Council were invited to address the homeowners
about the landslide disaster. They all refused to attend the meeting. |
| April 6, 1993 |
City of Anaheim tells FEMA: "Geologist on
hand stated that we need to continue pumping. If we don't continue pumping
for many years to come, we will be right back in the landslide situation
again. Expected operational time is five to ten years ." |
| June 16, 1993 |
280 families file claims against the City. |
| March 12, 1996 |
City still pumping 50,000 gallons per day.
Eberhart & Stone is still undertaking geological investigation at FEMA
expense. |
| January 16-17, 1998
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Five years have now passed since Anaheim Hills collapsed
and still no mitigation has taken place.
The City of Anaheim has spent $8.18 million of FEMA money
to hide the damage -- like make-up on a decaying cadaver -- but not one single cent to shore
up the landslide.
To date, the City of Anaheim has spent $8.78 million in legal
fees to attack the landslide victims.
Seventeen landslide homeowners have been foreclosed on
and evicted by their banks.
Thirty-six families, ravaged by the landslide, have moved
away -- all at a heavy financial and emotional loss.
And now, seven landslide victims have died waiting for
a justice that they will never see.
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