Powerful surf linked to the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel battered Long Beach, California. The storm damaged a century-old boardwalk, threatened waterfront properties, and prompted local officials to restrict access and order mandatory evacuations. City leaders reported that eight homes along the Alamitos Peninsula had been marked unsafe as high tides and relentless waves threatened further structural destruction.
According to local reports, massive waves broke through the barrier protecting the remaining boardwalk before high tide arrived. By Saturday evening, the damaged structure became completely inaccessible, forcing officials to post no-trespassing notices. Video footage from the scene captured a deep structural crack extending from the foundation to the roof of at least one multi-million-dollar home along Seaside Walk.
Widespread Damage Along the Alamitos Peninsula
The relentless surf tore away nearly 30 feet of the boardwalk, leaving properties valued between $1 million and $7 million at risk of being swallowed by the sea. Chilling footage showed towering swells crashing against homes in the 6500 block of Seaside Walk, reaching second-story windows as sections of buildings and broken pieces of wooden boardwalk drifted into the ocean.
City inspectors confirmed that multiple properties were tagged:
- Red-tagged properties: Deemed completely unsafe to enter due to severe foundation and structural compromise.
- Yellow-tagged properties: Allowing owners brief, supervised access to retrieve essential belongings.
Residents in the area expressed deep frustration as they watched the destruction unfold. Stacey Sniezak, a resident of 45 years living near one of the tagged homes, described the scene as heartbreaking. “It’s just impossible to fix at this point, and I don’t know how they’re going to do that,” she told reporters.
Emergency Response and Evacuation Orders
In response to the escalating crisis, the National Weather Service issued a coastal flooding warning and a high surf advisory. These alerts forecast 4- to 7-foot waves, dangerous rip currents, and significant beach erosion. A mandatory evacuation order was issued for residents on the 6400 and 6500 blocks of Seaside Walk.
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson addressed the community regarding the unprecedented weather events:
“These kinds of impacts are not normal. They’re unprecedented for our community, and while our crews have been working hard day and night-hundreds of employees and volunteers responding and mitigating impacts-these continued threats have brought significant damage right to our shoreline’s front door,” Mayor Richardson said.
City crews, alongside local residents, rushed to shore up the coastline. Officials distributed thousands of heavy-duty sandbags to protect vulnerable properties. Vehicular access to the peninsula was restricted strictly to residents and emergency personnel. This allowed city crews unobstructed access to perform critical shoring work.
Compounding Weather Threats
The devastation caused by Tropical Storm Rachel follows a difficult storm season for Southern California. City officials noted that Rachel marks the third major hurricane or tropical storm to impact the coastline within a six-week period, following Hurricane Marie over Labor Day and Hurricane Polo.
Meteorologists warned that the danger was far from over. Additional high tides, strong coastal winds, and low-pressure systems threaten to compound the erosion. Long Beach authorities continue to monitor water intrusion, assess structural damage, and coordinate emergency beach restoration efforts. These efforts include plans to move thousands of cubic yards of sand back onto the depleted shoreline.
