Homeowners in Long Beach, California, were forced to evacuate their residences on Monday as powerful waves from Tropical Storm Marie overtopped a seawall, sending seawater into properties. The storm caused significant flooding along the Long Beach Peninsula, damaging homes and washing away protective sand berms.
Firefighters went door-to-door Monday night, issuing evacuation orders for approximately 20 homes situated between 63rd Place and 67th Place. Officials reported that the seawall had been compromised, and sections of the adjacent boardwalk sustained damage. Building inspectors were dispatched to assess the structural integrity of the affected houses, with reports of cracked concrete between some properties.
The surge of ocean water, carrying sand and debris, had already inundated coastal neighborhoods over the weekend. Residents in Long Beach and nearby Seal Beach had been working to clear flooding and damage left by earlier swells that overwhelmed existing protective measures.
Long Beach Fire Battalion Chief Jake Heflin stated that a thorough assessment of the waterfront infrastructure, including the boardwalk and seawall, is necessary to determine the extent of the damage and to plan for future storm resilience. "We’re going to have to do a real assessment on the boardwalk, the impact of this storm on the boardwalk, the impact of this storm on the waterfront here, and what that looks like — how we do this, how we reinforce this, and how we build up, because this is just the beginning," Heflin said.
Residents expressed concern as another high tide approached Monday night. "We just hope we will still have a house at the end of this," said resident Paula Attina, whose home was reportedly shaken by the waves. "The entire house — it feels like an earthquake."
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson cautioned that the current event could foreshadow future coastal challenges, linking the storm's impact to broader climate concerns. "The climate emergency is real. This is one event, but we have to be honest, this will happen again," Richardson said.
A Coastal Flood Advisory and High Surf Advisory were in effect through Tuesday evening. Earlier on Monday, the mayor had issued a social media post warning residents about temporary closures of impacted coastal areas due to high tides, surf, and swell conditions.