LOS ANGELES, CA – Orange County has proclaimed a local emergency following coastal impacts from Hurricane Marie, as erosion, high tides and storm-driven waves damaged infrastructure and private property in several coastal communities.
The county’s emergency proclamation was issued Sept. 17 in response to continuing coastal impacts associated with the storm. County officials said the action was requested by the Director of Emergency Services and the chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors and Emergency Management Council.
The proclamation came after several coastal cities took their own emergency measures. Dana Point, Laguna Beach and San Clemente each declared local emergencies related to weather and tidal conditions associated with Hurricane Marie, according to the county.
The county’s action places Orange County’s Operational Area in a position to support coastal communities and coordinate response efforts as officials continue assessing damage and preparing for additional weather events.
Coastal communities report damage
The effects have been particularly visible in areas along Orange County’s coastline.
In Dana Point, officials reported that high tides and swells associated with Hurricane Marie damaged the Capistrano Bay community along Beach Road. The city said the first residential deck was destroyed Aug. 28 and that the affected property was inspected and red-tagged after its foundation slab was undermined.
By Sept. 9, Dana Point officials said nine homes had received red tags and seven had received yellow tags. The city also said emergency measures were being pursued to protect affected properties from additional wave action, including a boulder revetment behind homes.
The city noted that Beach Road involves multiple jurisdictions, with the County of Orange maintaining public beaches immediately north and south of the Capistrano Bay district and the state having jurisdiction over the beach area seaward of the affected homes.
Laguna Beach has also reported significant coastal impacts. City officials said swell from Hurricane Marie beginning Sept. 2 moved a substantial amount of sand from local beaches and caused erosion that remained ongoing as of Sept. 14. Six oceanfront homes along Ocean Way and Lagunita Drive had been yellow-tagged because of compromised seawalls, while part of the Aliso Beach parking lot had failed.
The city declared its own local emergency Sept. 10, with the City Council ratifying the action Sept. 14.
County emergency operations remain active
Orange County had already activated its Operational Area Emergency Operations Center on Sept. 11 because of coastal weather impacts.
The county said the emergency operations center was operating at a low level and staffed by personnel from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Emergency Management Division. The activation followed local emergency proclamations by at least two cities over storm-driven waves and high tides.
The county’s Sept. 17 proclamation expanded that coordinated response after additional damage was documented along the coast. Officials also cited concerns about additional El Niño-related weather events during the upcoming winter season.
Residents can use Orange County’s emergency preparedness resources for information on preparing for coastal hazards and other emergencies. The county also operates AlertOC, its mass-notification system for time-sensitive emergency messages.
Hurricane Marie brought dangerous coastal conditions
The National Weather Service had warned of dangerous beach conditions along Southern California as Hurricane Marie moved through the eastern Pacific.
In a Sept. 6 advisory, the National Hurricane Center said Marie would continue producing dangerous beach conditions along the Baja California and Southern California coasts for another couple of days. At that time, the hurricane was located hundreds of miles southwest of Baja California and was moving northwest.
While the storm’s center remained offshore, its effects along the coast included large swells, elevated tides and wave action capable of moving beach sand and affecting exposed coastal properties.
The Orange County emergency declaration reflects the local consequences rather than a direct landfall of the hurricane in the county. County officials specifically tied the emergency to ongoing coastal impacts from Marie.
More weather concerns ahead
The county’s proclamation also comes as coastal communities prepare for the possibility of additional severe weather during the coming months.
Laguna Beach officials said the National Weather Service had updated its El Niño outlook and that the seasonal pattern could bring additional storms and high-surf events. The city has encouraged residents to prepare homes and businesses before future storms, high tides and hazardous coastal conditions.
For Orange County officials, the immediate focus remains on coordinating assistance to affected coastal jurisdictions, monitoring damaged areas and responding to changing conditions.
The county said its Operational Area Emergency Operations Center will remain activated at a low level, with emergency management personnel continuing to coordinate the response. The local emergency proclamation was also scheduled to be considered for ratification at a special Board of Supervisors meeting.
As coastal cities continue evaluating erosion, damaged property and infrastructure concerns, officials are also preparing for the possibility that additional weather and tidal events could place further pressure on already affected areas.
