A powerful storm in California has battered waterfront property as monster waves whipped up by Tropical Storm Rachel tore away nearly 30 feet of a boardwalk.
A century-old boardwalk in Long Beach was seen being ripped apart by blistering winds and towering waves as pricey homes risk collapsing into the waters.
On Saturday evening, officials taped off the boardwalk with 'No Trespassing' signs as eight homes were red-tagged as unsafe to enter on the city's Peninsula, Mayor Rex Richardson said.
A ninth home was left yellow-tagged, allowing the home occupants access to grab their belongings but not stay in the property.
The tags, however, are not necessarily permanent. A red tag can be downgraded to yellow once repairs are made and inspectors approve the property, with inspections set to continue twice daily.
Officials are continuing to assess the threat and determine whether evacuation orders will be necessary as another round of severe weather looms.
Chilling footage on Friday night showed towering swells crashing against a home in the 6500 block of Seaside Walk, reaching its second-story windows as sections of the building and broken pieces of boardwalk drifted into the ocean.
Other images showed floodwaters engulfing nearby side streets and patios, pouring into homes and properties left badly damaged.
A century-old boardwalk in Long Beach was seen being ripped apart by blistering winds and towering waves as pricey homes risk collapsing into the waters
On Saturday evening, officials taped off the boardwalk with 'No Trespassing' signs as eight homes were red-tagged as unsafe to enter on the city's Peninsula
The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood warning on Friday afternoon for Los Angeles County beaches until 3pm on Sunday, as forecasters expected waves reaching four to seven feet
More recent video saw a structure being pulled off the ground, with two people attempting to claw it onto the ground until one of them was lifted from the floor, the California Post reported.
'It is not normal that we see this type of activity,' Mayor Richardson said on Saturday.
'Just in this season, this marks the third hurricane in just six weeks. We saw Hurricane Marie over Labor Day, which was followed soon by Hurricane Polo, and now Rachel is bringing with it more high tides, more surf, erosion that continues to cause damage to properties and damage along our coastline.'
'This is easily the most damage I have seen over the past couple of weeks,' said KTLA's Rich Prickett, whose crew captured the destruction from a helicopter overhead.
'Now the entire boardwalk is just starting to shred away, and now some of these homes are being impacted even more severely,' he added.
'As you’re seeing this house right here that’s starting to crumble as that erosion just continues underneath the house.'
The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood warning on Friday afternoon for Los Angeles County beaches until 3pm on Sunday, as forecasters expected waves reaching four to seven feet.
'It’s really heartbreaking to see how much has been affected with the surf and the high tides and everything. I mean, people are losing their houses,' Stacey Sniezak, Long Beach neighbor, told ABC 7.
High tides over seven feet are expected in the mornings, as forecasters expect conditions may deteriorate on Sunday from strong winds, rain and elevated ocean water levels
Rain is expected to spread on Saturday night into Sunday morning, with showers possibly continuing through Tuesday night
Local officials distributed 7,600 sandbags in hopes of helping residents protect their properties
Chilling footage on Friday night showed towering swells crashing against a home in the 6500 block of Seaside Walk, reaching its second-story windows as sections of the building and broken pieces of boardwalk drifted into the ocean
Sniezak said the damage to her home, where she has lived for 45 years, has left her devastated.
'It’s just impossible to fix at this point, and I don’t know how they’re going to do that,' she added.
Richardson announced all vehicle access to the Peninsula had been closed off for residents only, and added: 'We're encouraging everyone else to avoid the Peninsula all weekend, so that our city crews can have access and best perform this critical work.'
The Weather Service warned that coastal flooding could lead to damaged beach roads and structures, as well as significant beach erosion.
High tides over seven feet are expected in the mornings, as forecasters expect conditions may deteriorate on Sunday from strong winds, rain and elevated ocean water levels.
The Weather Service urged residents and visitors to stay off beaches, coastal walkways and vulnerable roads and structures. Motorists were warned not to drive around barricades or through floodwaters.
Rain is expected to spread on Saturday night into Sunday morning, with showers possibly continuing through Tuesday night.
Local officials distributed 7,600 sandbags in hopes of helping residents protect their properties.
'We’re looking at an unprecedented high tide, potentially 7.8 to 8 feet, which is significant for this area,' Long Beach Fire Department Assistant Chief Jake Heflin said.
'We’re not just talking about the peninsula, we’re not talking just about Naples, we’re talking about the potential for a citywide impact.'