Eight Long Beach boardwalk buildings receive red tags after Tropical Storm Rachel waves
Waves from the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel have damaged homes on Long Beach’s boardwalk, prompting inspectors to red-tag eight structures and issue evacuation orders.
Destructive waves from the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel have battered homes on Long Beach’s boardwalk for a fourth consecutive day, leading inspectors to issue red tags for eight buildings and a yellow tag for one additional structure. The tags affect 13 addresses, and officials said the count could change as assessments continue.
Inspectors worked within a short daylight window between Sunday night’s high tide and a morning high tide around 10 a.m. Monday, with another brief period available before the evening tide, to evaluate the damage and determine whether further buildings require red-tagging.
Video taken overnight showed damage such as broken windows and doors, and sand erosion beneath the foundations that could shift building stability. One home displayed a crack extending from its foundation to the roof, and the front portion appeared displaced.
"As the waves are hitting these structures, it's pulling the soil away from the foundations and the substructures of these buildings, potentially undermining the foundations of these buildings," said Dan Fox, president of the Structural Engineers Association of Southern California.
A mandatory evacuation order remains in effect for residents on 64th and 65th streets along Seaside Walk.
"Long Beach is on sand, right? We’re built on sand. If the ocean gets far enough into the structures where the sand sits, it sucks it out. This is what happens," said resident Gabriella Holt, who has lived in the area for 12 years.
Sand berms constructed to protect homes have been washed away, and neighbors reported that, despite annual sandbagging and flood preparations, the level of damage exceeded expectations.