Update: Landslide Closes Moraga Avenue

A landslide and downed power lines and trees have closed Moraga Avenue between the eastern city limit with Oakland and Red Rock Road (also known as Coaches Field), city officials said this morning. City and PG&E crews are on the scene.

Power was still out for 55 households in the surrounding area as of 1:30 p.m., PG&E spokesperson Tamar Sarkissian said. PG&E expects to restore power to those customers in the late afternoon or early evening, she said.

At its peak, the power outage affected 65 households, Sarkissian said.

She said the mudslide brought down a tree which landed in PG&E power lines. While the lines remained intact, the impact snapped two sets of crossarms that hold the lines at the top of the power pole and also damaged a transformer, she said. The power pole itself remained intact, Sarkissian said.

A city Public Works crew removed some trees from the road but was waiting for PG&E to ground fallen power lines before removing others, City Clerk John Tulloch said .

Fueled by heavy overnight rains, the slide spread from the canyon's north side across the roadway, knocking down trees onto power lines, Tulloch said.

Tulloch said Moraga Avenue will be closed "for several hours, at least."

Police have also blocked off traffic coming from Maxwelton Road to prevent cars from reaching that portion of Moraga Avenue, Piedmont Police Detective George Phifer said.

The mudslide happened about 7 a.m. at 3 Maxwelton Rd.

Tulloch said city engineers are trying to determine the next steps, since clearing the road could potentially cause more damage to the hillside home where the slide occurred.

Stormy weather also brought down a tree and power lines near the intersection of Glencourt Drive and Arrowhead Drive, just below Skyline Boulevard in the Oakland hills, about 8 p.m. Thursday. The tree damaged a parked car but no injuries were reported. Power has been restored to nearby residences.

Bay City News contributed to this article.