Homes in Long Beach were red-tagged and evacuated over the weekend as Post-Tropical Cyclone Rachel blew through Southern California, with destructive flooding, as well as rain and heavy winds forecast for Sunday.
The National Weather Service on Sunday morning warned of potential danger to anyone who might venture into the ocean, as projected high tides of around 8 feet could exceed recent records for Los Angeles County.
"There is an increased risk of ocean drowning. Dangerous and life- threatening rip currents can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea," the weather service cautioned in a forecast discussion. "Large breaking waves can cause injury, wash people off beaches and rocks, and capsize small boats near shore."
The remnants of Rachel were centered near Las Vegas as of 8 a.m., according to the weather service, but residual moisture from the system continued to move into mainly Los Angeles County.
Damaging coastal flooding was likely on Sunday, especially on vulnerable south-facing beaches, according to the service.
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson announced Saturday that eight structures across 13 addresses were now red-tagged and another structure was yellow-tagged. A red tag indicates that a structure is unsafe to be occupied, while a yellow tag allows a property owner to enter temporarily to retrieve belongings but prohibits occupancy until the building is deemed structurally safe.
In addition, homes in the 6400 and 6500 blocks of Seaside Walk were under a mandatory evacuation order and people were urged to stay away from the Peninsula between Bay Shore Avenue and 72nd Place and stay off of the sand berms built to protect homes, Richardson said.
An evacuation warning was in effect for Peninsula residents on 64th, 65th and 66th Places south of Ocean Boulevard and homes in the 6200, 6300, 6600 and 6700 blocks of Seaside Walk, officials said. An evacuation advisory was in effect for all Naples Island, Treasure Island and Peninsula residents.
Footage shot Saturday morning showed waves continuing to hit the damaged boardwalk near East Ocean Boulevard and 68th Place.
Images broadcast from the Alamitos Peninsula area near Alamitos Channel, which separates Long Beach from Seal Beach, across the Orange County line, showed waves crashing over a seawall and the boardwalk behind it and flowing through to East Ocean Boulevard.
Some sand berms built after the previous round of high surf were washed away in spots. Damage was visible to the boardwalk, with debris floating offshore as waves washed around and beneath waterfront homes.
A coastal flood warning was in effect for much of Southern California through 3 p.m. Sunday, according to the weather service, to be replaced by a coastal flood advisory through 2 p.m. Tuesday.
"There is growing confidence that the expected coastal flooding impacts this morning for vulnerable south facing beaches of LA County could be the most significant we have seen so far this season," the weather service warned in its forecast discussion.
Coastal flooding ranging from moderate to damaging was forecast through at least Tuesday, with light to moderate rain predicted through Monday, according to the weather service.
Rachel was expected to be well northeast of Southern California by afternoon, although residual moisture was anticipated to linger through the night, with totals in Los Angeles County through Monday night forecast to range from a quarter-inch to as high as 2 inches in the San Gabriel Mountains. Wind gusts of around 60 mph were possible in the desert foothills.
City News Service contributed to this story.
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