Inspectors in Long Beach, California, evaluated damaged oceanfront homes Monday as lingering swells from the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel battered Southern California beaches for a fourth straight day.
ABC7 Los Angeles reported that city building officials red-tagged eight oceanfront properties spanning 13 separate addresses along the Long Beach Peninsula boardwalk, while one building was yellow-tagged. Relentless waves undermined foundations by washing away sand beneath the structures, cracking exterior walls and shattering windows. Mandatory evacuations remained active for residents on 64th and 65th streets along Seaside Walk.
Structural damage and shoreline flooding
Dan Fox, president of the Structural Engineers Association of Southern California, told ABC7 Los Angeles that ocean surf pulls soil from beneath the foundations and substructures, threatening structural integrity. Protective sand berms erected along the shore washed away under the relentless surf, residents said.
Flooding extended beyond Long Beach across multiple coastal communities. According to ABC News, the city of Newport Beach declared a local emergency over the weekend as high water drenched Balboa Boulevard and adjoining roadways. Municipal officials closed all city beaches and piers until further notice. Nearby coastal towns, including Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach and San Clemente, distributed sandbags to residents, while Seal Beach closed beach parking areas due to elevated surf, ABC News reported.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Rachel, which previously reached Category 3 hurricane strength before weakening and making landfall in Baja California late Saturday, generated destructive swells aided by an El Niño-enhanced Kelvin wave and elevated ocean temperatures. Preliminary readings near Long Beach recorded Sunday morning high tides at around 7.6 feet, with forecasters projecting high tides near 7.5 feet for Monday and Tuesday mornings.
Casualties, weather extremes and wildfire threats
Tragedy struck Sunday morning at Dockweiler Beach, where a man died, according to the Los Angeles Times. Authorities were investigating whether the fatality was linked to hazardous storm conditions. The storm also unleashed heavy precipitation, dropping more than 6 inches of rain across parts of San Diego County and more than 2 inches on some Los Angeles County mountains, the Los Angeles Times reported. Strong wind gusts exceeding 60 mph struck Riverside County communities including Menifee and Temecula, ABC News reported, while desert areas experienced flash flooding and debris flows.
Coastal flooding advisories extending from San Diego to Ventura remain active through Tuesday’s morning tide, according to the National Weather Service, while advisories for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties were scheduled to expire earlier. Forecasters warned that rip currents and high surf still present drowning hazards and could overturn small boats near the shore.
Southern California now faces a sharp shift in weather conditions later in the week. The National Weather Service expects the region to swing toward elevated temperatures, dry air and the first seasonal Santa Ana winds between Thursday and Saturday, raising the risk of wildfires. Climate experts cautioned that unusually warm ocean waters mean additional tropical systems cannot be entirely ruled out before the season concludes in November.
