An adult man died Sunday after being pulled out to sea near Playa del Rey, as hazardous surf churned up by Tropical Storm Rachel pounded beaches across the Southern California coast. Los Angeles Fire Department crews and Los Angeles County lifeguards rushed to the water but were unable to save him.
Fire crews responded to reports of a person in distress in the water near the 6900 block of Pacific Avenue in Playa del Rey on Sunday, according to the New York Post, which cited fire officials describing the man as an adult male. Lifeguards performed CPR in an attempt to revive him, but fire officials said he was pronounced dead at the scene, per the same report. The incident was initially reported as an ocean drowning, officials told the outlet, and they did not suspect foul play.
KTLA separately reported that a person died Sunday morning following a reported drowning at a Los Angeles beach, according to authorities, though specific details beyond that confirmation were not available in that account.
Dangerous Swell Tied to Tropical Storm Rachel
The death came as a stronger southerly swell associated with Tropical Storm Rachel was expected to arrive Sunday, potentially producing surf of 6 to 9 feet, according to NBC Los Angeles. The outlet reported that strong rip currents, elevated surf and unusually high tides could produce coastal flooding and beach erosion along the shoreline. The damaging surf hitting Los Angeles and Orange County beaches was due in part to the tropical storm churning over the Pacific Ocean, the station noted.
Tropical Storm Rachel generated swells of up to 6 feet along beaches in Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange counties, ABC7 Los Angeles reported. Large waves and rising surf linked to the storm battered parts of the Southern California coastline, and intense waves caused flooding along Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach earlier in the day, per the station's report.
Flood Warnings and Beach Advisories
The National Weather Service listed a Coastal Flood Warning in effect Sunday from 10:51 a.m. until 3 p.m. for the Los Angeles area. A separate advisory from the agency described large breaking waves of 4 to 7 feet with local sets to 8 feet, along with dangerous and potentially life-threatening rip currents expected during the hazard period.
In Long Beach, officials prepared for coastal flooding ahead of the surge by reinforcing beach berms and filling sandbags, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. Those preparations followed earlier damage up the coast: powerful waves tore into beachfront properties and the boardwalk in Long Beach on Friday, NBC Los Angeles reported, prompting an evacuation order for homes on Seaside Walk between 64th and 66th Place. Building inspectors red-tagged eight buildings covering 13 addresses and yellow-tagged one more after assessing the damage, the station said.
A Reminder of the Ocean's Risks
The Playa del Rey death underscores how quickly conditions along the coast can turn deadly during heavy surf events. Los Angeles County Fire Department figures show just how often lifeguards are called into action during high-traffic stretches at the beach — over the Labor Day holiday weekend alone, county lifeguards responded to 457 water rescues, 294 medical calls, three boat rescues and 41,365 preventive actions, according to the department's own rescue data.
No further details about the man's identity, the exact time of the incident, or whether posted warnings were in place at that stretch of Playa del Rey have been released.
