OCEANSIDE, Calif. (KGTV) — Dozens of passengers at the Oceanside Transit Center had to find alternate transportation to their destinations after a landslide in San Clemente shut down train service in parts of San Diego and Orange Counties Thursday.
This comes just weeks after service resumed in the area following a months-long closure.
Amtrak said debris from a slope underneath San Clemente's Casa Romatica Cultural Center fell near the tracks.
"It's just been a lot of confusion so far," Spencer Tyson said.
Tyson was on his way back to L.A. when he learned the Pacific Surfliner service between Irvine and Oceanside was suspended.
"We're on vacation so it kind of sucks for plans, but is it the worst thing? No. We'll figure it out one way or another," he said.
Aerial footage of the landslide shows the hillside underneath Casa Romantica giving way with part of the patio breaking off.
Geologist Dr. Pat Abbott said it's a result of the ground being weakened due to the recent rain storms.
"The danger is not over. It's an ongoing process, and as it sits right now, I would very much expect more to move," Dr. Abbott said.
As crews work to protect the tracks, dozens of passengers resorted to Uber and ridesharing to get to their destinations.
"We looked at rental cars, but all the agencies are closed here, so that's a no-go," Tyson said.
This interruption comes just a couple of weeks after the Pacific Surfliner resumed service between San Diego and Orange Counties.
It was closed for several months due to coastal erosion caused by storms.
Amtrak said the suspension will last through Friday. Limited train service will be available to San Juan Capistrano. Amtrak is using bus bridges to transport passengers between Irvine and Oceanside.
