Evacuations lifted in Long Beach after strong waves damaged homes, boardwalk
By Chelsea Hylton, Matthew Rodriguez
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LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — Mandatory evacuations were lifted in Long Beach on Wednesday after officials completed inspections at properties affected by the high surf and powerful waves.
Long Beach Fire Department Capt. Jack Crabtree said no homes were red-tagged, but building officials yellow-tagged one property. All remaining homes were deemed safe for entry, and residents were being allowed back into their homes.
Crabtree added that crews are continuing their cleanup and recovery efforts in the area.
The boardwalk along the seaside between 63rd Place and 68th Place will remain closed to the public while crews continue working. The Claremont parking lot at 5400 E. Ocean Blvd. has reopened fully for public use.
The city asked people to avoid closed areas.
Evacuation orders for roughly 20 coastal homes started on Monday after powerful waves compromised the seawall. Officials received reports that concrete around several homes was being damaged and cracked.
Hurricane Marie, which was traveling in the Pacific Ocean, caused the rough water. Remnants of the storm impacted several coastal communities in Southern California over the Labor Day weekend.
“Emergency repair work conducted overnight along the seawall held and was effective in providing additional protection to the area,” Crabtree said.
Councilwoman Kristina Duggan, who represents the area, said there are long-term plans to protect the area, including a dunes habitat protection and dredging project that will begin in late October.
“It’s a dredge and beach renourishment project,” she said. “It includes 400,000 cubic yards that will be dredged and placed on the beach.”
The project will extend the beach by about 250 feet. Duggan said the city has been working on the plan for at least three years, but funding challenges delayed it.
“Long Beach is incredibly unique,” Duggan said. “We’re the only coastal city with state and city oil revenue that should be going to our coastal restoration, but so much of it is going to the state general fund.”
The city only receives 8% of the revenue, according to Duggan.
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