Hurricane Marie's Swells Trigger a Sinkhole and Evacuations in California

Although Hurricane Marie remained well offshore of the coast of California, its powerful waves extended far enough to affect parts of the Golden State. The volatility of the seas was enough to create a sinkhole and damage several homes along the coastline of Southern California.

Coastal Southern California Battered by Rough Seas Produced by Hurricane Marie

The impacts of Hurricane Marie battered the coastline of Southern California this week, sending a beachfront home into a sinkhole and forcing the evacuation of at least 20 other homes. Several at-risk homes were evacuated along Seaside Walk in Long Beach when high waves slammed into the seawall and triggered coastal erosion

Local officials in Long Beach confirmed that the boardwalk area was damaged by the pounding surf. The sand driven in by the surf also clogged storm drains and unleashed localized street flooding. The Long Beach Fire Department issued the evacuation orders out of an abundance of caution, giving inspectors time to evaluate the homes to determine if they were structurally safe.

The wrath of Marie extended well up the coast to the north, beginning over Labor Day weekend and lasting into Tuesday. Several communities were under Coastal Flood Advisories as the powerful swell took aim at Southern California. When paired with the elevated tide levels, coastal flooding was an issue for days in this part of the West Coast.

Many popular beach communities have been dealing with severe coastal erosion for months. The impacts of Marie only exacerbated these conditions in places such as Laguna Beach and Aliso Beach. For instance, a home in Laguna Beach collapsed into the sand before the peak of Marie's impacts following weeks of rough surf conditions and high tides.