Hurricane Polo Remnants Trigger Rockslide on California Coast

Waves from the remnants of Hurricane Polo battered California's Golden Coast on Tuesday, causing a significant rockslide in Orange County. The storm, now downgraded to a tropical storm, is weakening as it moves through Mexico.

In Laguna Beach, the rockslide occurred near the Agate Street beach access, below the stairway viewpoint. The incident resulted in debris entering the water and led to the closure of the beach. No injuries have been reported.

Fire and Marine Safety crews responded to the scene and closed access to the affected area. Officials stated that a geologist would survey the site and urged the public to stay clear of the area and respect posted closures. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

While Hurricane Polo did not make direct landfall in Southern California, its strong swells disrupted coastal communities. A Coastal Flood Advisory was in effect for Orange and San Diego counties until Wednesday afternoon. The National Weather Service noted that while the high surf and coastal flooding warnings had ended, dangerous ocean conditions and strong rip currents could persist.

The remnants of Hurricane Polo are expected to move into New Mexico and Texas, with warnings issued for potential life-threatening flash flooding in the Southwest into early Wednesday.

Coastal cities such as Long Beach and Newport Beach had taken measures to reinforce defenses in anticipation of the storm's impact. Earlier in the month, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency in preparation for potential severe winter storms associated with El Niño, which could bring flooding, landslides, and coastal erosion.

Laguna Beach is located in Orange County, approximately 50 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.