The impacts of Hurricane Marie crashed onto Long Beach’s doorstep, with waves crashing relentlessly onto an already dilapidated Peninsula boardwalk and forcing the evacuation of roughly 20 homes from Monday to Wednesday.
The decades-old boardwalk built in the 1920s has long needed repairs. The City had plans to replace the wooden walkway, spanning from 55th to 69th Place at Seaside Way, with resistant composite materials in 2025. However, Third District Councilmember Kristina Duggan told the Signal Tribune in January that the $2 million project was on hold due to a lack of available funding.
Chunks of that boardwalk were severely compromised over the course of the week, as waves reaching over six feet high easily overcame reinforced sand berms and damaged the wooden walkway, as well as home foundations and even concrete.
Jana Merical, a Long Beach resident who lives on the corner of 62nd Place and Ocean Boulevard, was one of many volunteers helping her neighbors Wednesday evening.
“I think everyone is really scared and really no one knew what to do,” Merical said. “The peninsula is a special place and there’s only 500 homes here and it’s such a close-knit community. It’s always about people helping people and all the neighbors were out helping, and even people who don’t live in the peninsula came to help, which was really wonderful to see.”
The City announced evacuation orders Monday night for roughly 20 homes between 63rd and 67th places. By Wednesday night, all but one homeowner was allowed to return to their home.
It wasn’t the first time this year that high waves have passed the sand berms, which the City pays $1 million to replenish throughout the year. Given this year’s projected Super El Niño, rising sea levels and climate change, occurrences like this week are expected more frequently.
On Wednesday evening, City workers were operating wheel loaders to shovel more sand into protective berms. Large parts of the boardwalk and surrounding streets were barricaded as police officers kept residents away from high tides.
One climate scientist named Daniel Swain told KTLA that the greatest risk for these coastal communities is between November and January.
The Long Beach Fire Department said in a social media post that City crews will continue to assess the condition of the homes and boardwalk for necessary repairs.
