In Malibu, a section of Point Dume Beach was closed earlier this month after high tides and large swells caused severe erosion. The erosion created unstable bluff edges and drop-offs, according to Los Angeles County’s Department of Beaches and Harbors.
“The bluff edge is unstable, with drop-offs approaching 8 feet in some locations, creating a significant safety hazard,” the department said in an advisory.
Erosion is also threatening Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, particularly in areas where seawalls were destroyed when homes burned in the Palisades Fire. The city urged Caltrans to install permanent protections before winter.
“Left unaddressed, the erosion trend will continue to accelerate, removing the material that supports the roadway embankment,” Malibu officials said in a news release. “The onset of El Niño conditions this storm season significantly raises the likelihood of heavy rainfall, high surf and wave events that could compress months of expected erosion into a single storm cycle.”
In Carlsbad, powerful swells recently stripped much of the sand and damaged portions of a parking lot at Tamarack State Beach. Several lifeguard towers have also been relocated because of the erosion, KTLA reported.