Tropical Storm Rachel surf floods Balboa Peninsula; Newport Beach declares emergency

Streets on Newport Beach's Balboa Peninsula turned into shallow rivers Friday morning, Oct. 9, as high surf and elevated tides pushed ocean water into the neighborhood. City officials asked people to avoid the peninsula and not to drive through flooded streets.

The flooding started Thursday night, Oct. 8, according to FOX 11. By Friday, the city had declared a local emergency.

How bad it got

City Utilities Director Mark Vukojevic told ABC7 that about 15 to 20 blocks of peninsula streets flooded. He said Friday morning's tide came in 20 inches above the predicted level, which he called "record-breaking for us."

ABC7 reported that dozens of vehicles got stuck and that homes and businesses were damaged. Social media videos showed knee-high water on the peninsula, NBC Los Angeles reported. No official damage estimate had been released.

Councilman Joe Stapleton told Spectrum News 1 it was "the worst I've seen it in my 20 years on the Peninsula."

What caused it

Higher-than-normal surf and elevated ocean levels tied to Tropical Storm Rachel drove the flooding, even though the storm was still hundreds of miles away, according to FOX 11 and ABC7. Orange County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Katrina Foley told Spectrum News 1, "We didn't expect the swell to hit this early."

The city's response

City Manager Seimone Jurjis, acting as the city's director of emergency services, issued the emergency declaration. Mayor Lauren Kleiman told ABC7 it would help the city "secure additional resources and coordinate with regional partners."

Six city crews rebuilt protective sand berms along the shoreline while other teams ran pumps and opened tide valves, FOX 11 reported. The city has 86 tidal valves and 18 pumps. The water receded Friday afternoon and roads reopened, ABC7 reported.

The county sent 30,000 sandbags, and Water Emergency Response of Orange County sent 20 mutual aid staff to help city pump crews, according to Spectrum News 1. Costa Mesa also sent sandbags. The Newport Beach Police Department closed all city beaches and piers "until further notice," NBC Los Angeles reported.

Since then

A coastal flood warning for Orange County beaches was downgraded to an advisory Sunday afternoon, Oct. 11, in effect until 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13. The Newport and Balboa piers reopened Monday afternoon, Oct. 12, and the Balboa parking lot reopened in sections as cleanup continued, Spectrum News 1 reported.

Sandbags and alerts

Prefilled sandbags were offered at the City Corporation Yard, 592 Superior Ave.; Marina Park, 1600 W. Balboa Blvd.; and temporary Fire Station No. 1 in the East Ocean Front parking lot near Balboa Pier. Empty bags were available at Lifeguard Headquarters, 70 Newport Pier. Residents can sign up for Newport Notified alerts at NBPD.org or call 949-644-3055 for sandbag and flood information.