Monster king tides battered Huntington Beach this week, damaging more than 100 structures, prompting evacuations and leaving residents racing to clean up before another potentially destructive surge arrives next month.
The coastal flooding affected about 114 buildings, city officials said. Six homes received yellow tags restricting access because of safety concerns.
In one especially alarming incident, saltwater came into contact with a lithium-ion battery and ignited a fire inside a structure.
The destruction triggered a major emergency response as city crews worked to shield vulnerable coastal neighborhoods from the advancing seawater.
“In anticipation of the flooding, the City took proactive steps to protect our coastal communities, particularly Sunset Beach and Huntington Harbour. We activated our Mobile Command Post and strategically deployed emergency response resources into areas expected to be impacted,” the city said Thursday.
The flooding was fueled largely by powerful King Tides, a phenomenon that occurs when the moon is closest to Earth and aligns with the sun during a new or full moon, creating exceptionally high water levels.
The monster tides inundated more than coastal homes and neighborhoods. On Tuesday, they also transformed sections of Pacific Coast Highway into a flooded, impassable stretch.
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Pacific Coast Highway was closed in both directions between Seal Beach and Huntington Beach. Orange County Metrolink service was also suspended Monday between Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo and Oceanside.
In Newport Beach, knee-deep water surged through residential streets and entered homes, while several motorists were stranded as their vehicles became partially submerged.
Crews worked urgently to contain the flooding, using pumps and building sand berms to strengthen exposed sections of the coastline against the pounding surf.
The latest flooding came only weeks after Tropical Storm Rachel crossed California, damaging homes and boardwalks. In Long Beach, waves battered the city’s century-old boardwalk.
Newport Beach declared a local emergency Oct. 9 after powerful swells and elevated tides sent seawater across the Balboa Peninsula, stranding drivers and leaving vehicles partially submerged.
Experts warn that this week’s coastal destruction could be an early sign of more powerful El Niño storms expected to strike California this winter.
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