Historic cottages evacuated at Orange County beach over flood risk

A portion of a Southern California beach is temporarily closed and its historic cottages are being evacuated amid dangerous high tides. 

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California State Parks closed parts of Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County and San Onofre State Beach in San Diego County because of coastal erosion and major damage caused by Tropical Storm Rachel, the agency said in a Friday news release. The storm’s effects are expected to be strongest during the weekend and park officials said the closures will help prevent more damage to the surrounding infrastructure while also keeping people safe. 

In the Crystal Cove area, 26 cottages in the Historic District were evacuated as a precaution and reservations for the area are canceled until at least Tuesday, State Parks said. The cottages, which sit right on the sand, were also spared from high surf earlier this summer. And at San Onofre State Beach, coastal erosion damaged the shoreline, parking areas and utilities, including the restrooms. The parking area and nearby roadway will be closed for emergency repair work, according to State Parks. More closures may also come in the future as facilities at the beach “remain threatened by continued erosion,” the agency said.

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Farther north, high tides have caused extensive flooding to Newport Beach’s famous Balboa Peninsula, leading city officials to ask travelers to stay away from the area. A coastal flood advisory was issued by the National Weather Service for Orange County until Tuesday afternoon. The weather service is urging the public to remain out of the water amid hazardous conditions and to avoid driving through floodwater.