Pacifica

Pacifica Declares State of Local Emergency After El Niño Storms Slam City's Coastline

Pacifica declared a state of emergency Friday after storms caused by El Niño slammed into the city's coastline, leaving behind a sinkhole, a damaged sea wall and a trail of destruction.

"El Niño is hitting the city’s coastline very hard and creating almost daily reports of impacts to both public and private property," City Manager Lorie Tinfow said.

The city has seen damage to the Pacifica Pier, the Milagra Watershed Outfall and the failure of the sea wall along Beach Blvd. near the intersection of Santa Maria Avenue. The funding for repairs to all three structures remains unclear at this point. "We need state and federal assistance to respond to the growing list of failing public infrastructure," Tinfow said.

Private properties are also being affected, and owners of two properties were notified that their structures were not safe to inhabit. Other areas along the cliff are experiencing significant loss of bluff top as well.

"We hope all property owners along the City’s coastline are aware of how fluid the weather situation is and take appropriate precautions," Tinfow said.

The city says the damage started back in mid-December. The emergency declaration is the first step toward getting state and federal assistance to help rebuild what's been damaged.

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