A fierce California storm has pounded coastal neighborhoods, with enormous waves driven by Tropical Storm Rachel ripping nearly 30 feet from a Long Beach boardwalk.
Powerful winds and towering surf tore into the century-old structure, leaving expensive waterfront homes on the city’s Peninsula dangerously close to collapsing into the ocean.
By Saturday evening, officials had cordoned off the damaged boardwalk with “No Trespassing” signs. Mayor Rex Richardson said eight homes had been marked with red tags, meaning they were considered unsafe to enter.
A ninth property received a yellow tag. Residents were permitted to return briefly to collect belongings but were not allowed to remain there.
The safety designations may change. Once repairs are completed and inspectors approve a property, a red tag can be reduced to yellow. Officials planned to carry out inspections twice a day.
Authorities continued evaluating the danger and weighing whether evacuations would be required as another period of severe weather approached the Southern California coast.
Dramatic video recorded Friday night showed massive swells slamming into a home along the 6500 block of Seaside Walk. The waves reached second-floor windows while parts of the building and shattered boardwalk sections were swept out to sea.
Elsewhere, floodwater covered side streets and patios, pouring into homes and leaving nearby properties heavily damaged.
Powerful winds and huge waves tore through Long Beach’s century-old boardwalk, putting waterfront homes at risk of sliding into the ocean
Officials closed off the boardwalk Saturday evening with “No Trespassing” signs after eight Peninsula homes were declared unsafe to enter
The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood warning for Los Angeles County beaches through 3 p.m. Sunday, forecasting waves between four and seven feet
More recent footage showed a structure being torn from its foundations. Two people tried to pull it back down, but one was lifted off the ground by the force of the wind, the California Post reported.
“It is not normal that we see this type of activity,” Mayor Richardson said Saturday.
“Just in this season, this marks the third hurricane in just six weeks. We saw Hurricane Marie over Labor Day, which was followed soon by Hurricane Polo, and now Rachel is bringing with it more high tides, more surf, erosion that continues to cause damage to properties and damage along our coastline.”
“This is easily the most damage I have seen over the past couple of weeks,” said KTLA’s Rich Prickett, whose team witnessed the destruction from a helicopter.
“Now the entire boardwalk is just starting to shred away, and now some of these homes are being impacted even more severely,” he said.
“As you’re seeing this house right here that’s starting to crumble as that erosion just continues underneath the house.”
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The National Weather Service issued the coastal flood warning Friday afternoon for Los Angeles County beaches, keeping it in effect until 3 p.m. Sunday as forecasters predicted waves of four to seven feet.
“It’s really heartbreaking to see how much has been affected with the surf and the high tides and everything. I mean, people are losing their houses,” Long Beach resident Stacey Sniezak told ABC 7.
Morning high tides exceeding seven feet were forecast, with conditions potentially worsening Sunday as strong winds, rain and rising ocean levels affect the coastline
Rain is expected to spread on Saturday night into Sunday morning, with showers possibly continuing through Tuesday night
Local officials distributed 7,600 sandbags in hopes of helping residents protect their properties
Chilling footage on Friday night showed towering swells crashing against a home in the 6500 block of Seaside Walk, reaching its second-story windows as sections of the building and broken pieces of boardwalk drifted into the ocean
Sniezak said the damage to her home, where she has lived for 45 years, has left her devastated.
‘It’s just impossible to fix at this point, and I don’t know how they’re going to do that,’ she added.
Richardson announced all vehicle access to the Peninsula had been closed off for residents only, and added: ‘We’re encouraging everyone else to avoid the Peninsula all weekend, so that our city crews can have access and best perform this critical work.’
The Weather Service warned that coastal flooding could lead to damaged beach roads and structures, as well as significant beach erosion.
High tides over seven feet are expected in the mornings, as forecasters expect conditions may deteriorate on Sunday from strong winds, rain and elevated ocean water levels.
The Weather Service urged residents and visitors to stay off beaches, coastal walkways and vulnerable roads and structures. Motorists were warned not to drive around barricades or through floodwaters.
Rain is expected to spread on Saturday night into Sunday morning, with showers possibly continuing through Tuesday night.
Local officials distributed 7,600 sandbags in hopes of helping residents protect their properties.
‘We’re looking at an unprecedented high tide, potentially 7.8 to 8 feet, which is significant for this area,’ Long Beach Fire Department Assistant Chief Jake Heflin said.
‘We’re not just talking about the peninsula, we’re not talking just about Naples, we’re talking about the potential for a citywide impact.’
