Key facts
- Tropical Storm Rachel remnants caused flooding and waves in Southern California.
- Nine Long Beach homes are unsafe to enter.
- Long Beach incurred over $1 million in emergency costs.
- Newport Beach declared a local emergency.
- Las Vegas set an all-time daily rainfall record for October.
Coastal communities in Southern California are assessing the damage left by extreme weather over the weekend, which included flooding and intense waves from the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel. The storm, which weakened as it approached California after hitting Mexico's Baja California, caused significant destruction.
In Long Beach, massive waves crashed into beachfront homes, destroying a boardwalk and forcing residents to evacuate. The Long Beach Post reported that at least nine homes were deemed unsafe to enter, preventing residents from retrieving personal belongings. The city has spent more than $1 million from its emergency reserves due to the storm.
Further south, Newport Beach declared a local emergency and temporarily closed its piers due to higher-than-normal surf that inundated streets. By Monday, cleanup efforts were underway, and the piers were reopened, though officials advised caution near the water.
In Las Vegas, a street near the Strip was overwhelmed by a torrent of water, and the city recorded an all-time daily rainfall record for October with 1.08 inches by Sunday morning, according to the US National Weather Service.
This extreme weather event occurs as El Niño is intensifying storms in the Pacific. Researchers note that storms forming this year are lasting longer and becoming more powerful. California is anticipating a challenging winter with severe storms due to a strong El Niño, with models from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicating a high probability of a historic El Niño event that could bring heavy rain, landslides, and destructive high tides.