Hurricane Marie is bringing dangerous surf and strong rip currents to beaches across Southern California, with powerful waves flooding coastal areas and prompting residents to take precautions over Labor Day weekend.<\/p>\n
Massive waves crashed onto the Long Beach coastline Saturday evening, sending water over seawalls and into nearby streets.<\/p>\n
Along the Long Beach Peninsula, wooden boards had been placed along the seawall to help protect homes, but the waves washed most of them away.<\/p>\n
Robert McCormick, who lives near 66th Street and Ocean Boulevard, said the flooding was unlike anything he typically sees.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t usually get it as bad. We\u2019ll get water over every now and then, but it\u2019s nothing, nothing to this level,\u201d McCormick said.<\/p>\n
Several inches of water flooded his street before draining onto Ocean Boulevard.<\/p>\n
With dangerous conditions expected to continue through the Labor Day weekend, residents were working to protect their homes. McCormick said he and his neighbors were using sandbags to help divert incoming water.<\/p>\n
\u201cMake sure that we are prepared for what\u2019s coming so we can just stay alert and put sandbags in the way and just try and divert as much water as possible,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In nearby Seal Beach, powerful surf also flooded a parking lot near the beach. Cars drove through the water while people walked through the flooded area. Crews brought in heavy equipment to build barriers aimed at keeping floodwaters from spreading.<\/p>\n
Despite the conditions, some beachgoers still headed into the water.<\/p>\n
At Alamitos Beach, swimmers continued to jump into the waves, with some describing the experience as fun.<\/p>\n
Safety officials are urging inexperienced swimmers to stay out of the ocean and warning beachgoers not to underestimate the combination of powerful surf and strong rip currents.<\/p>\n