Huntington Harbour and Sunset Beach residents are still cleaning up after elevated tides pushed bay water into streets and homes, leaving roughly 114 homes and structures with water damage and six properties yellow-tagged for safety concerns. The City Council was scheduled to consider ratifying a local emergency as the city braces for the possibility of even worse flooding before the month is out.
The council was scheduled to meet on October 30 to consider ratifying the local emergency proclaimed by City Manager Travis Hopkins. The Orange County Register reported that about 114 homes and structures sustained water damage during the flooding, with six homes yellow-tagged to restrict access over safety concerns.
The flooding hit Huntington Harbour and Sunset Beach particularly hard as elevated tides sent saltwater creeping into residential streets. The city is coordinating across departments and with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and Caltrans in its response.
Emergency Declaration and Potential Reimbursement
Ratification could help the city pursue reimbursement for flood-related costs.
The measure could help the city pursue reimbursement for flood-related costs.
Flood Response Efforts
The city is continuing its flood response.
Personnel used drones to monitor conditions.
Tides Eased, Then Officials Warned of Worse to Come
The flooding wasn't constant throughout the week. The Orange County Register reported that Huntington Beach streets remained flooded on Thursday, October 29, but with less water than on Wednesday, October 28, when Pacific Coast Highway was entirely under water. Still, the relief may be temporary: officials have warned that tides in late November could be even higher than those that caused this round of damage, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Some experts cited by the Times described the flooding as a preview of potentially more intense El Niño storms expected this winter. Nearby, Newport Beach has already distributed more than 20,000 sandbags to residents dealing with the same tidal surge, the Register noted, with more still available to anyone who needs them. For now, Huntington Beach, in Orange County, is left watching the tide tables closely.
