Malibu declares emergency as coastal erosion forces evacuations, triggers sinkhole at celebrity property
Powerful surf from Hurricane Marie battered California's coastline, accelerating coastal erosion that forced the evacuation of oceanfront homes in Long Beach, damaged infrastructure and triggered a sinkhole and gas leak at a Malibu property owned by actor Nicolas Cage.
THE TAKEAWAY
LONG BEACH, Calif. – The crippling impacts of coastal erosion have taken a toll on the battered California coast, triggering the evacuation of 20 oceanfront homes in Long Beach and the abrupt existence of a sinkhole in a Hollywood celebrity's Malibu driveway.
Although Hurricane Marie traveled well beyond the West Coast, its devastating impacts were felt hundreds of miles away, arguably no more than along Seaside Walk in Long Beach, where roughly 20 at-risk homes were evacuated as rough waves slammed the coast and compromised a seawall.
The City of Malibu has issued a local state of emergency due to the massive, expanding sinkhole that formed on Tuesday, prompting evacuations for affected properties.
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Damage extended beyond the compromised seawall. Officials reported damage to the boardwalk and cracked concrete between several at-risk oceanfront homes, while sand driven inland by the pounding surf clogged storm drains and triggered localized street flooding.
The Long Beach Fire Department said the evacuation orders were issued out of "an abundance of caution" while city building inspectors evaluated the threatened homes for structural safety and determined whether they were safe to occupy.
Long Beach wasn't the only California coastal community to feel the effects of Hurricane Marie, as powerful surf and coastal flooding impacted beaches up and down the coast.
Beginning over Labor Day weekend and continuing into Tuesday, Coastal Flood Advisories stretched along much of California's coastline.
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Hurricane Marie's powerful swell drove the most significant impacts across Southern California, while elevated tides and rough surf contributed to coastal flooding farther north.
Areas already grappling with severe coastal erosion saw conditions worsen as Hurricane Marie's powerful swell accelerated shoreline loss, driving the dagger even deeper into vulnerable beaches like Aliso Beach in Laguna Beach, where part of a parking lot was closed after waves and erosion undermined its edges and consumed much of the beach in front of it.
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Ahead of Hurricane Marie's worst impacts, a seawall at an oceanfront home in Laguna Beach collapsed after weeks of relentless surf and high tides.
Across Southern California, Hurricane Marie's powerful swell accelerated coastal erosion, damaged infrastructure and heightened concerns along an already vulnerable coastline, a danger that became even more apparent Tuesday when the impacts of coastal erosion took a sinking turn in Malibu.
Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage may have found inspiration for his next blockbuster a little too close to home, FOX 11 Los Angeles reported.
A beachfront driveway at his western Malibu property collapsed into a massive sinkhole, triggering a gas leak that led city officials to red-tag five oceanfront homes and prohibit entry while crews assessed the damage, according to the City of Malibu.
Authorities warn that conditions are likely to worsen with forecasted high tides and rain caused by Marie.
This is a developing story. Stay with FOX Weather for updates.
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