Powerful waves from Tropical Storm Rachel sent ocean water rushing into Southern California neighborhoods Friday, flooding streets, damaging beachfront homes and prompting an emergency declaration in Newport Beach as forecasters warned that worse conditions could arrive over the weekend.
The flooding was especially severe along Newport Beach’s Balboa Peninsula, where seawater spilled over sand barriers, stranded vehicles and reached homes several blocks from the beach.
Farther north, waves tore apart sections of a protective boardwalk in Long Beach, leaving several buildings unsafe to enter.
The destruction took place while Rachel was still about 800 miles southwest of San Diego, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm was moving toward the California-Mexico border, with heavy rain, dangerous surf and additional coastal flooding expected through the weekend…