Rain Pummels Streets, Walkways in Manhattan Beach
Feb 01, 2024 09:52PM ● By Jeanne Fratello
The path to Begg Pool was closed on Thursday after rain gouged a large hole in the road.
A "Pineapple Express" storm system barreled into Manhattan Beach on Thursday, taking out at least one road and the ground underneath a Strand staircase.
The rain washed away a significant chunk of the one-lane access road to Begg Pool. A 4-foot by 5-foot gash opened up to a deep hole about halfway down the steeply inclined road. The road remains closed until further notice. (At press time on Friday morning, crews were arriving to begin work.)
At the Strand, powerful rushing water washed out a large section of dirt underneath the top landing of the stairs at 21st Street (and under a portion of the walkway). Public Works crews temporarily shored the corners with sandbags and covered the areas with tarps. The stairway remains closed.
(A washout void at 21st Street and The Strand. Photo via city of Manhattan Beach.)
(The 21st Street staircase and the Strand bike path beneath the staircase were shored up with sand bags.)Up and down the beach, the water rushing from the storm drains to the ocean carved out large canyons in the sand.
The pond at Polliwog Park was also flooded on Thursday, but remember - it serves as a retention basin
for Los Angeles County and is designed to store storm water during
heavy rains.
(Polliwog Park floods again - Photo via Gregg Towsley)Rain is expected on and off during the next week and is forecast to be heavy at times. If you see something that needs to be fixed, the city is urging residents to reach out via the Reach Manhattan Beach app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.
Other storm notes:
- Sand bags are available for Manhattan Beach residents and can be picked up in two locations: at the Public Works Facility, 3621 Bell Avenue; and Fire Station 1, 400 15th Street in Manhattan Beach.
- The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has issued an Ocean Water Quality Rain Advisory for all Los Angeles County beaches, including Manhattan Beach. Swimmers are urged to stay out of the water due to high bacterial content. The advisory will be in effect until until at least Sunday, February 4, at 5:00 a.m.
- Throughout the winter - and especially the rainy season - shelter is available for those who need it. Call 2-1-1 or LAHSA's shelter hotline at 213-683-3333.
