Newport Beach declares local emergency after high tide from Tropical Storm Rachel floods streets

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (KABC) — The city of Newport Beach declared a local state of emergency after coastal flooding inundated streets on the Balboa Peninsula Friday morning, stranding vehicles and damaging homes and businesses.

Much of the peninsula was closed due to Tropical Storm Rachel. By Friday afternoon, the water had receded, leaving behind damage and a major cleanup effort.

Rachel is still hundreds of miles away, but we are already starting to see major impacts along the coast.

“It was like I splashed, and I couldn’t close the door soon enough. I was like, ‘Oh no!'” Ali Bickell, a Newport Beach resident, said of the floodwaters.

Some residents initially tried to cross flooded roads before the city closed much of the peninsula. Dozens of vehicles remained stranded, while some people found other ways to navigate flooded streets.

The AIR7 video shows several streets covered in water. Paddleboarders were seen floating through neighborhood streets.

By Friday afternoon, the roads were reopened.

“Honestly, we thought it was AI when we saw it online. I thought, ‘This is a joke.’ “But then we got stuck in traffic, and then we saw the water go by,” said Patricia Abi Rached, owner of Beachouse Studio.

“Super dangerous. I woke up and it was right up to my car doors,” said Newport Beach resident Flynn Brown.

The city’s public services director, Mark Vukojevic, said flooding extended across a significant part of the peninsula.

“The reports I’ve seen indicate we probably have 15 to 20 blocks of street flooding,” Vukojevic said.

Vukojevic said Friday morning’s high tide was significantly higher than expected.

“The tide this morning came in 20 inches higher than the actual predicted tide value. That’s significant, yes. We’ve seen it be, you know, 12 inches higher, but that’s kind of a record for us,” he said.

Crews worked to open tide gates and drain flooded roads. The city also built a large sand berm along the beach in anticipation of higher waves.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before. Like, man, the whole street is flooded from here to the end of the block. The crazy thing is Sunday is supposed to be worse,” said Jonathan Nguyen, a Newport Beach resident.

The city is bracing for additional impacts throughout the weekend. Authorities are asking residents to protect their homes and, if possible, move their vehicles to higher ground.

A Coastal Flood Warning is in place until Tuesday afternoon for the entire SoCal coast. Sunday is the day of greatest concern, with high tide, powerful swells and rip currents possible.