11/12/2016

ElNioStormsPutPacificaCliffApartmentsatRiskTheNewYorkTimes

http://nyti.ms/1UoBzXE

U.S.

ElNioStormsPutPacificaCliffApartmentsatRisk
ByASHLEYSOUTHALL JAN.26,2016

OnastretchofcoastbetweenSanFranciscoandHalfMoonBay,rowsofapartmentssitoncliffs,dangerouslyclosetofalling
intothePacificOcean.
PowerfulwavesandheavyrainsfromElNiostormshaveacceleratedtheerosionofthecoastalbluffsinPacifica,Calif.,a
spectaclewidelysharedonline.OnFriday,cityofficialstheredeclaredanemergency.OnMonday,theycondemned20
apartments,placingyellowtagsondoorsandorderingtenantstocollecttheirbelongingsandleave.
Recentblufffailureshaveresultedinunsafeconditionsforlivingspaceat310EsplanadeAvenue,MikeCully,thechief
buildingofficial,saidinacityannouncement.Cavitiesinthebluffareformingtothesouth,westandnorthofthebuilding
andthesecriticallyoversteepenedslopesareanticipatedtofallbacktomorestableprofilesinthenextseveraldays.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/27/us/elninostormsputpacificacliffapartmentsatrisk.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FCoast%20Erosion&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=strea...

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11/12/2016

ElNioStormsPutPacificaCliffApartmentsatRiskTheNewYorkTimes

NoelleWalker
@NoelleNBC5

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Happeningnowresidentsinapartmentsalongcliffs
in#Pacificatoldtoleave.Citysaysnotsafe.#KTVU
6:25AM26Jan2016

13

10

Thedangerlurkinginwhatseemslikeanidyllicsettingwasputintostarkreliefinavideoshowingpeoplestandingon
theirterracesasawidechunkofthesandstonebluffscrumbledontotherocksandshorebelow.Inafewseconds,homesthat
hadsatfeetfromthecliffswereontheedgeordanglingoffthem.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/27/us/elninostormsputpacificacliffapartmentsatrisk.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FCoast%20Erosion&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=strea...

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11/12/2016

ElNioStormsPutPacificaCliffApartmentsatRiskTheNewYorkTimes

ThevideowasshotonSaturdaybyDuncanSinfield,24,anassignmenteditoratKTVU,aFoxaffiliate,usingacamera
attachedtoadrone.Mr.Sinfieldsaidtheshortvideoexemplifiesalargerissue.
Ifilmedasmallportionofaverylargeproblemwiththatcity,hesaid.Itsgottobehappeningalotmoreoften.Were
justnotseeingit.
Scientistshavewarnedforyearsthatlongtermsoilerosionandrisingsealevelsarecontributingtoincreasedflooding,
clifffailures,severestormsandlargescalechangesalongthePacificCoast.Theconcernsextendallthewaydownthecoastto
LosAngelesandSanDiego.
InanarticleinTheTimesin1976,geologistsblameddevelopmentlinkedtourbansprawlfromLosAngelesforrippingup
thebluffsnaturaldefensesagainstthesurfandtide.OnedescribedtheerosiontoTheTimesasacatastrophewaitingforthe
rightconditionstohappen.
ThelatestElNiodrivenstormshavebatteredCaliforniaandareexpectedtocontinuewellintospring.Whiletherains
werewelcomedafterfouryearsofdrought,theyhavebeenalarmingforthetensofmillionsofpeoplelivinginthestates
coastalcommunities.
IneffortsovertheyearstopreservethecoastlineinPacifica,thecitypiledrocksalongthebeach,drilledreinforcement
rodsintothesidesofthebluffs,andcoatedthefacesofthecliffswithfiberreinforcedconcrete,accordingtotheSanFrancisco
Chronicle.
ThoseledgeshadremainedrelativelyintactduringCaliforniasfouryeardroughtuntilthismonth,whenunceasingEl
Niodrivenstormsbegantosweepthrough,accordingtoTheChronicle.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/27/us/elninostormsputpacificacliffapartmentsatrisk.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FCoast%20Erosion&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=strea...

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11/12/2016

ElNioStormsPutPacificaCliffApartmentsatRiskTheNewYorkTimes

ButresidentsofthenewlycondemnedbuildingonEsplanadeAvenueseemedunpreparedtogiveupwhatnaturewas
takingbyforce.Tenantsexpressedfeelingsrangingfromresignationtoanger,mixedwithadesiretostayput.

WayneFreedman
@WayneFreedman

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Larryjustrenegotiatedhisrent.Lessland.Lower
lease.Isthisfunnyorsad?Idontknow.
6:16AM26Jan2016

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/27/us/elninostormsputpacificacliffapartmentsatrisk.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FCoast%20Erosion&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=strea...

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11/12/2016

ElNioStormsPutPacificaCliffApartmentsatRiskTheNewYorkTimes

WayneFreedman
@WayneFreedman

Follow

#pacificaLivingontheedge.JasmineLeeinan
apartmentabovethepoundingsurf."Noworries.I
lovetheocean."
3:32AM26Jan2016

2016TheNewYorkTimesCompany

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/27/us/elninostormsputpacificacliffapartmentsatrisk.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FCoast%20Erosion&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=strea...

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