Heavy Rain Causes Major Flooding In Long Beach, Seal Beach
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SEAL BEACH (CBSLA) — Heavy rain caused flooding in Long Beach and Seal Beach, turning streets into rivers and pushing water levels right up to the door steps of beach homes.
The deluge of water isn't even close to over – the National Weather Service predicts another round of heavy rainfall Wednesday night, with as much as an inch of rain in one hour in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Flooding closed the Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach between Seapoint Street and Warner Avenue. The closure was expected to last into Thursday.
Even with a break in the rain overnight, about a foot of water is still pooled in a parking lot near the Seal Beach Pier.
"They always warn you to put out your sandbags and be ready for flooding, especially in this area," Seal Beach resident Angie Crum said.
In Long Beach, Olympic Fitness was flooded, while firefighters went out to homes with sand bags to help keep out the water. Division Street looked more like a canal with up to a foot of water lapping the patios of homes lining the sidewalks.
A strong storm cell moved through Orange County overnight, dumping an inch-and-a-half or more of rain in Fullerton, Yorba Linda and Anaheim Hills; and two inches or more in Garden Grove, Anaheim and Huntington Beach. Seal Beach has gotten the most rain in Orange County, with 4 inches of rain since Monday.
There was so much rain, that the roof of an industrial complex in Fountain Valley collapsed. No injuries were reported, and firefighters remain on the scene on Mount Hermann Street.
Meanwhile in Seal Beach, deep water pooled dangerously close to beachfront homes.
Anxious residents watched as the waters resided Wednesday afternoon, but water began to pool again Wednesday night – once again threatening homes.
A flash flood watch is in effect in Orange County through Thursday afternoon.