The Laguna Beach Flood Danger Is Real — The Videos Are Fake

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Over the past several days, locals were flooded with fake videos claiming to depict Laguna Beach under water.

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.

To Laguna Beach locals, the videos are, at worst, alarming and, at best, glaring beams of misinformation.

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 Communications Manager Lauren Ezzell told Patch that while the city hasn't received resident complaints regarding the videos, staff is still acutely aware of the fake videos circulating on social media.

"We do recommend, as a city, to get your information from the city itself and trusted news organizations," Ezzell said.

The call against misinformation comes as real impacts from Hurricane Marie were felt across the Southern California coastline, including in Laguna Beach.

While the coastal town did not experience the degree of flooding depicted in the fake videos, the Laguna Beach coastline showed clear evidence of the storm's power.

Four oceanfront homes in Laguna Beach were yellow-tagged, city officials said Wednesday after powerful waves ravaged the Southern California coast over Labor Day weekend.

The yellow-tagged homes are located on Ocean Way near Pearl Street, according to Laguna Beach Mayor Mark Orgill.

"City teams are addressing the public infrastructure concerns and inspecting affected homes," Orgill said in a statement. "For homeowners with damaged seawalls, that means help finding the right contractors, getting emergency permits, and confirming homes and yards are safe."

In Aliso Beach, savage surf has washed away an ample amount of shoreline, leaving old infrastructure jutting out of the sand and forcing officials to shut down the Aliso Beach Parking lot.

"Real conditions during Marie were serious enough on their own," Orgill said. "Nobody benefits from misinformation."