The ocean wreaked havoc on Huntington Beach this week. According to city officials, 114 homes and other structures along the coast were damaged by high tides and flooding. Six homes were yellow-tagged, meaning access was restricted due to safety concerns. In addition, one structure caught on fire after the saltwater surf damaged a lithium-ion battery. Much of the damage occurred in Sunset Beach and Huntington Harbour and was caused by king tides — extremely high tides that typically occur during new or full moons.
The swells flooded parts of the Pacific Coast Highway, forcing the closure of multiple stretches of the road in Huntington Beach. The city declared a state of emergency on Monday, activating a command post and deploying emergency services throughout the week. Despite the efforts, the city said in a statement that the waves still caused significant impacts. "We strongly encourage residents, particularly those in Sunset Beach, Huntington Harbour, and other low-lying coastal areas, to begin preparing now," the statement said.
"Take time to assess your property, obtain sandbags, protect vulnerable areas, and review your family's emergency plans." The tides calmed down by Friday, but the city said more damage could be on the horizon since "tides in late November could be even higher than this week's." Tides have been bashing coastal towns across Orange County, and experts say it's a preview of more intense El Niño storms this winter. To prepare, cities have deployed an arsenal of weapons against the floods, including sandbags, water pumps, sand berms and drainage canals.
The Los Angeles Times blames the Huntington Beach flooding on king tides driven by the moon, although its own report a day earlier said a marine heatwave had pushed water well above normal tide levels, and other coverage said these were not king tides. The article never says that warming and sea level rise are making floods like this worse, so a reader takes the damage for a natural, lunar event.
Drops what it reported before
Serious
“was caused by king tides — extremely high tides that typically occur during new or full moons”
Why this matters
The words "was caused by king tides" and "typically occur during new or full moons" give the moon's cycle as the cause of the damage, in the outlet's own voice.
The impression it gives
A reader believes the flooding was a routine astronomical tide, the kind that comes round with every new or full moon.
The context
The Los Angeles Times reported the day before that a marine heat wave had raised seawater 1.25 to 1.8 feet above what the moon, Earth and sun alone would produce. The Guardian reported that these floods were not king tides at all, and that the rising water came from a record oceanic heatwave on top of higher sea levels driven by the human-caused climate crisis.
Much of the damage occurred in Sunset Beach and Huntington Harbour, where a marine heat wave pushed seawater 1.25 to 1.8 feet above normal tide levels, according to scientists.
Leaves out the climate link
Serious
“experts say it's a preview of more intense El Niño storms this winter”
Why this matters
The phrase "a preview of more intense El Niño storms" is the article's only account of why coastal flooding is getting worse, and it names only a natural cycle.
The impression it gives
A reader believes the worsening floods are down to El Niño alone and have nothing to do with a warming climate.
The context
Human-caused warming has raised sea levels and made extremes more frequent and severe. The Guardian reported that the rising water came from a record oceanic heatwave layered on higher sea levels fuelled by the human-caused climate crisis. The article never mentions climate, warming or the heatwave.
On the recordThat warming has made hot extremes, heavy rainfall, agricultural and ecological drought, fire weather and intense tropical cyclones more frequent or more severe.ipcc.ch (opens in a new tab)
On the recordIt is unequivocal that human influence, chiefly the burning of fossil fuels, has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land.ipcc.ch (opens in a new tab)
Tides have been bashing coastal towns across Orange County. Experts say a marine heatwave and sea levels raised by human-caused climate change are behind the extreme water levels, and El Niño storms this winter could make flooding worse.