Long Beach Declares Emergency for 4- to 6-Foot Polo Waves After 8-Foot Beach Loss
Updated
Updated · NBC Los Angeles · Sep 24
Long Beach Declares Emergency for 4- to 6-Foot Polo Waves After 8-Foot Beach Loss
3 articles · Updated · NBC Los Angeles · Sep 24
Summary
Long Beach ratified a local emergency to speed hiring, contracts and outside aid before Hurricane Polo could send 4- to 6-foot waves into an already damaged Peninsula.
More than half a mile of beach and boardwalk remains damaged, inaccessible or vulnerable after Hurricane Marie stripped sand, damaged the seawall and boardwalk, and forced evacuations at 19 homes.
City officials said the declaration does not trigger immediate evacuations, but it aligns Long Beach with the state emergency order and lets crews reposition workers and seek state resources faster.
Two-week council updates will track preparations, spending and emergency activity as officials brace not only for Polo but for a difficult El Niño winter with flooding, downed trees and power-line risks citywide.
Longer term, the storm damage has sharpened debate over how to protect the Peninsula over the next 10, 20 and 30 years, including dune and habitat restoration.