UPDATE | 10/6/18 at 12:40 p.m. 

Crews will continue to fortify the threatened sand berm on the Peninsula until at least Tuesday, Marine Safety Captain David Guerra said.

No additional flooding was reported Saturday morning, only some remaining water from Friday’s high surf caused by Hurricane Sergio, according to Guerra.

“We’re waiting for the next high tide at 7 o’clock tonight,” Guerra said. “But the surf has died down since yesterday.”

Crews will remain on the Peninsula day and night and expect another surge on Tuesday.

PREVIOUSLY | 10/5/18 at 1:06 p.m.

Crews were rebuilding the sand berm on the Peninsula today after waves breached the protective barrier and threatened to flood nearby homes, according to authorities.

Hurricane Sergio off the coast of Baja California kicked up the bigger-than-expected swells that pounded through the berm early Friday morning, Marine Safety Capt. Cameron Abel said. This afternoon, the storm was still creating waves of about 4 to 5 feet along Long Beach, according to Abel.

Long Beach Fire Department Search and Rescue members load sandbags in hopes of protecting homes as crews rebuild the sand berm on the Peninsula In Long Beach October 5, 2018. Photo by Thomas R Cordova.
Long Beach Fire Department Search and Rescue members load sandbags in hopes of protecting homes as crews rebuild the sand berm on the Peninsula In Long Beach October 5, 2018. Photo by Thomas R Cordova.

“It’s shown up a lot stronger a lot sooner than we expected,” he said.

The waves broke through the berm early Friday and started splattering against a small seawall that serves as something of a last line of protection for homes on the Peninsula, according to Abel.

The spray flooded some homes’ porches, but there was no significant damage, he said. Homes between 64th Place and 67th Place were the hardest hit, according to Abel.

Mike Vanderipe looks at the surf between a gap of a temporary wood wall that was built in an attempt to save homes from being flooded on the Peninsula in Long Beach October 5, 2018. Photo by Thomas R Cordova.
Mike Vanderipe looks at the surf between a gap of a temporary wood wall that was built in an attempt to save homes from being flooded on the Peninsula in Long Beach October 5, 2018. Photo by Thomas R Cordova.

He said crews are now reinforcing the seawall and using heavy equipment to quickly rebuild the berm before high tide hits at about 7:15 p.m.

Residents who want to further protect their homes can pick up sandbags at the 72nd Place parking lot at the end of the Peninsula, Abel said.

Waves of 4 to 6 feet with local sets to 7 feet are expected in Long Beach through Sunday afternoon, according to a National Weather Service advisory.

Authorities are asking residents to be careful and stay out of the way while crews are making repairs.

“A lot of people want to take a look at it, but stay off the beach on the Peninsula,” Abel said.

Jeremiah Dobruck is executive editor of the Long Beach Post where he oversees all day-to-day newsroom operations. In his time working as a journalist in Long Beach, he’s won numerous awards for his investigative reporting and editing. Before coming to the Post in 2018, he wrote for publications including the Press-Telegram, Orange County Register and Los Angeles Times. Reach him at [email protected] or @jeremiahdobruck on Twitter.