Weather 
CASTAIC, Calif. () — While rain thankfully relieves the risk of fires, it can bring its own hazards such as landslides.
And experts say it was likely a landslide that was behind the major rupture of a natural gas pipeline on Saturday in Castaic that brough the 5 Freeway to a standstill.
On Tuesday, aerial video from AIR7 showed the pipeline where it broke was still split in two, and it’s all right next to where it looks like tons of dirt just recently slid away.
“Where you have steep slopes, that’s where you have the greatest risk of landslides,” said USC Geologist and Professor Josh West in an interview.
Landslides in the mountains around Castaic Lake are common, according to WEst.
Maps from the California Department of Conservation show there have been around two dozen landslides around the lake since 2022.
In January of 2023, a big slide moved a huge pile of mud onto the 5 Freeway.
Part of the freeway crumbled away a few months later when a separate slide carved out part of a hillside.
A natural gas leak in Castaic forced major shutdowns and raised concerns for nearby communities. All lanes of the 5 Freeway have since reopened.
Asked if it is unwise to build critical infrastructure like freeways and pipelines in an area that’s prone to landslides, West responded: “I don’t see this as a particular failure of planning. As long as we sort of accept we live in an area that is prone to dramatic natural disasters.”
7 posed the same question to geologist Jonathan Stewart with UCLA Engineering.
“I think if you are trying to find intact, strong bedrock not susceptible to landslides, you’d be looking a long time,” said Stewart.
SoCal Gas said crews are preparing the site of the gas leak for repairs, given that more rain is potentially on the way this week.
The utility said no customers were being impacted Tuesday, despite the break in the line.
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