LAGUNA BEACH, CA — After a arduous week of smothering temperatures, thick humidity and savage waves, Laguna Beach city officials are looking to address the impacts.
Thursday night, Laguna Beach officials issued a state of local emergency after hurricane-driven swells stripped beaches of sand, damaged coastal infrastructure and threatened several oceanfront homes.
The declaration comes in anticipation of winter storms during the forecasted 'Super El Niño,' which is expected to bring similar storm patterns to Southern California.
Here's five things to know about the recent state of local emergency issued in the City of Laguna Beach:
Laguna Beach Communications Manager Lauren Ezell told Patch that issuing the proclamation will allow the city to move immediately on emergency shoreline protection, sand placement, debris removal, assessments and repairs.
Under the proclamation, the city can do so without the delay of ordinary contracting procedures.
The Laguna Beach emergency proclamation took effect immediately and will remain in effect for seven days unless ratified by the City Council and extended.
According to the city, the declaration of local emergency will allow them to swiftly address the six oceanfront homes on Ocean Way and Lagunita Drive that have been yellow-tagged due to compromised seawalls.
A handful of seawalls, designed to protect oceanfront properties clustered along the coastline, were already showing damage as early as August — before the storms took shape, according to ABC7.
The damage incurred since then has left some seawalls in great need of repair, city officials said.
Significant erosion could be seen behind some of the homes on Lagunita Drive Friday afternoon, with one deck suspended above the sand, KTLA reported.
The proclamation will also allow city staff to better address the issue of sand erosion at Laguna beaches, which has shut down the south end of Lagunita Beach, Pearl Street Beach, the footpath at Christmas Cove and the Aliso Beach parking lot.
Ezell told Patch that residents can expect updates on the steps being taken to mend both the beaches and seawalls in the coming days.
City officials will also discuss the best solutions for sand placement, assessments and repairs at the upcoming Laguna Beach City Council meeting on Sept. 22.
The recent swell was a precursor to to what is expected from winter storms during 'Super El Niño,' and it showed communities from Dana Point to Malibu don't have the infrastructure in place to stave off massive swells from breaching seawalls, denuding beaches and damaging or destroying homes.
With just months left to prepare, residents and city officials are scrambling to expedite measures to protect the community.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported a greater than 90 percent chance of a very strong El Niño this fall and winter.
Above-normal rainfall is likely along coastal California, increasing the risk of further erosion before sand returns to city beaches, according to the administration.
While the surf damage in Laguna Beach remains an evolving situation, residents may have noticed fake videos claiming to depict the city underwater flooding their social media feeds.
One AI-generated video claims to show a powerful wave sweeping away cars on a busy Laguna Beach road — however, the video is quickly debunked by sheer common sense: the muddy tidal wave washing away cars and trees isn't coming from the ocean - it's heading from the city to the Pacific.
Another widely circulated video was actually real — a rogue wave breaching a seal wall, knocking over people, flooding cars and flowing down a street packed with shops and tourists. The video was purported to show the weekend's flooding at the Aliso Beach parking lot, but it's really 2023 footage from Ventura County.
The videos were reposted several times by various X accounts, all who claimed the footage showed Laguna Beach under duress.
Laguna Beach Mayor Mark Orgill urged residents this week to stay vigilant against circulating misinformation and AI videos.
"My ask of residents is simple: before you share, check the source," Orgill told Patch. "If you see something about Laguna Beach and it isn't coming from the city or a news outlet you trust, treat it with suspicion."
Laguna Beach residents can expect the surf to calm down considerably, after lingering waves from Hurricane Marie tapered off earlier this week.
According to Surf-Forecast.com, Laguna Beach residents can expect waves ranging from two to three feet with light winds for the coming days.
This comes as welcomed news, after 10-foot waves pummeled Laguna Beach's coastline — with some reaching up to 15-feet in localized areas like Aliso Beach.
That being said, residents will want to avoid venturing into any beaches with posted closures until city officials determine their next steps.
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