Race against time to build defenses as hurricane barrels off California

Coastal California cities were building defenses from expected high surf as three hurricanes roared across the Pacific Ocean.

Newport Beach in Orange County was erecting a huge sand wall along the waterfront to protect from large waves and swells expected by the storms.

The closest hurricane, Marie, is not likely to hit the Golden State but experts warned high tides, rain and flooding could lash the West Coast.

Newport Beach is shelling out thousands of dollars for extra contractors to get the berms done alongside city workers in just four days, well ahead of the usual two weeks they’re built in.

Several excavators were seen moving sand across the idyllic beach earlier this week. The city wants to prepare for the worst quickly.

“We heard reports that [Hurricane Marie] might turn towards us, but if it does turn towards us, we wanna make sure we’re prepared for it,” Zac Gentry, municipal operations director, told CBS News.

“Realistically, we’re more worried about Sunday and Monday. We’ll have additional crews here to make sure it’s protected if anything goes on,” Gentry said.

The storm is expected to intensify and move west from its position in the Pacific Ocean off Baja California.

Hurricane Marie will intensify to a Category 2 Hurricane on Saturday before fading as it heads into next week, according to the New York Times.

Newport Beach used 20 feet high and 6 feet wide berms to defend against king tides in 2020, but the waves broke through and damaged a parking lot, a dozen cars, and grounded a sailboat.

This time, the city is making the berm 20 feet high and 20 feet wide.

“We probably used 200,000 cubic yards, give or take,” Gentry said.

Newport Beach officials are asking residents and beachgoers to be careful at the beach in the meantime as the famed city awaits the potential storm over the holiday weekend.

“[The ocean] can sweep your feet out from under you and wipe you out to sea in a very short matter of time,” Newport Beach Lifeguard Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda said.

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