Laguna Beach is the latest city to declare an emergency after swells from former Hurricane Marie stripped away sand and damaged seawalls.
With a powerful El Niño threatening to bring larger storms and waves through this winter, Southern California communities are already losing beaches and scrambling to protect oceanfront homes after swells from former Hurricane Marie accelerated coastal erosion.
Laguna Beach officials declared a local emergency Thursday because of ongoing sand loss and coastal erosion, with some of the most significant impacts reported at Lagunita Beach, Pearl Street Beach and Christmas Cove.
At Aliso Beach, the ocean has consumed the beach and damaged part of the parking lot. City officials said the emergency declaration will allow crews to move quickly on shoreline protection, sand replacement, debris removal and repairs without waiting for the usual contracting process. The City of Laguna Beach announced the declaration Thursday…