Storm Fed High Swells + High Tide Erode Peninsula Berm Sat Night (Mar 1.), Water Cascades Onto Ocean Blvd., Floods Some Garages + Parked Cars b/w 61st St. and 72nd St.

Paid political content

Click on this link for my Facebook page and be sure to add me as a friend. Paid for by Gerrie Schipske for Mayor 2014, FPPC ID # 1356628

To learn more about our campaign, click here. Our Community First Campaign is looking for volunteer power. Get involved in a grassroots campaign and make a difference! Click my Facebook page here and make sure you add me as a friend. Paid for by Joan Greenwood for Council 2014, FPPC ID # 1361682

Countdown Clocks

(Mar, 2, 2014, 12:40 p.m.) -- Photos below, courtesy of a Peninsula resident (thank you) corroborate witness descriptions of flooding on Ocean Blvd. after part of the Peninsula berm was breached or gave way last night (Mar. 1). Seawater cascaded down 72nd St. which turned westward onto Ocean Blvd. and spread to roughly 61st St.

Resident Sean Quinn titles the photos: "The Lost City of Belmontis."

Photo courtesy Sean Quinn

If you or your neighbors have photos, video or information to share on this story, please email us directly at: mail@LBReport.com so we can tell everyone...and thank you.

Below is what LBREPORT.com saw the morning after.

(Mar. 2, 2014, updated at 10:40 a.m from initial report) -- As reported by LBREPORT.com at daybreak, parts of the protective sand berm built along Long Beach's Peninsula beach apparently gave way or were breached last night, attributed (caveat: initial indication) by LBFD on scene to erosion fueled by unusually high swells combined with a high tide.

Looking seaward at 72nd St.

LBFD Public Information Officer Will Nash says seawater came onshore at the Peninsula end at 72nd St., headed toward Ocean Blvd., then flowed westward to about 61st St. and affected some of the sidestreets in between.

LBREPORT.com was on-scene shortly after daybreak; we saw what you see below. Note the water line visible on some garages and cars to near vehicle door levels.

Area residents told LBREPORT.com there was knee high water along some sides streets and parts of Ocean Blvd. were filled nearly curb to curb with seawater.

City crews worked through the night to restore the berm; LBFD deployed resources to the area...and at midmorning Sunday Peninsula residents were visible cleaning up the aftermath...and some were on-cell phones dealing with their insurance companies.

Speculated cause of the berm failure: erosion from recent storms (Feb. 27 and Feb. 28) coupled with large swells from trailing edge of the Friday-Saturday storm combined with a high tide on Saturday night (shortly after 9:00 p.m.) No officially determined cause at this point.

If you or your neighbors have photos, video or information to share on this story, please email us directly at: mail@LBReport.com so we can tell everyone...and thank you.

Click reload/refresh page for updates and further details as we learn them on LBREPORT.com.