Orange County beachfront homes receive additional red tags after Hurricane Marie damage
Ten more oceanfront houses in Dana Point were red-tagged following severe erosion and sand loss caused by Hurricane Marie, prompting a local emergency declaration in Laguna Beach.
Orange County officials said ten additional beachfront properties in Dana Point have been red-tagged after Hurricane Marie generated large swells that stripped sand from the shoreline and caused extensive erosion. The city of Laguna Beach declared a local emergency earlier this week, citing damage to beaches and the threat to oceanfront homes.
A representative for the Capistrano Bay District confirmed that at least 14 houses along Beach Road in the Capistrano Beach area were damaged over the Labor Day weekend. Laguna Beach City Manager Dave Kiff, acting as director of emergency services, described the amount of sand removed from the coast as unprecedented and noted that several beach sections and a parking lot remain temporarily closed.
"Government must respond quickly, document the full extent of the damage and pursue every available source of recovery assistance for communities," Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley said.
Homeowners with existing Coastal Commission permits are still required to arrange and fund specialized repairs. One resident, Natalie Messana, whose home is currently yellow-tagged, said she continues to receive calls about new properties being affected.
The city’s September 10 press release said the emergency proclamation enables immediate shoreline protection, sand placement, debris removal, assessments and repairs without the usual contracting delays. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center forecasts a greater than 90 % chance of a very strong weather event this fall and winter, and a 75 % chance of an historic event surpassing previous El Niño strength since 1950.