Monster waves destroy Long Beach community as homeowners share chaotic aftermath

Long Beach homeowners watched in horror as monster waves smashed through their seawall, shredded the boardwalk and turned their street into a lake in minutes.“The conditions were very normal,” Evelina Mardirossian, 77, told The California Post.“And within five minutes, the entire street became a lake.”Mardirossian and her husband, David Black, 75, lost $60,000 worth of vehicles when their garage flooded.“All of our cars are gone.”“Her car was only three months old,” Black told The Post.

“It had 1,500 miles on it.” California's top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.Please provide a valid email.

By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story The flooding was so severe that about 20 homes directly on the seawall between 63rd Place and 67th Place were placed under a mandatory evacuation order.Long Beach firefighters went door-to-door Monday evening, telling residents it was time to leave.The destruction made the warning painfully clear.Massive waves ripped planks completely out of the boardwalk during Monday night’s high tide, and Tuesday morning’s high tide made the damage even worse.In some spots, the waves tore straight through the seawall separating the shore from the homes.Water and debris were sent onto homes sitting alongside the boardwalk.Residents have been working overtime to protect their properties, piling up sandbags and nailing boards over doors and windows as the surf keeps pounding the neighborhood.One homeowner used several pieces of plywood and sandbags to try to block the water.

It still got through, leaving sand dumped across the porch.“I wish I had known it was coming,” Del Sunperk, 49, told The Post.“I would at least put the sand bag where my front door is.”And the worst damage may be the kind nobody can see.One resident said the tide has been pulling sand out from underneath the homes, le...