A series of water-related deaths this summer in Laguna Beach has brought attention to the dangers of the coast as residents and tourists gather on Southern California beaches.
Orange County is also preparing for an expected historic Super El Niño — the National Weather Service has said this year’s El Niño is strengthening, with greater than a 90% chance of a very strong weather event in the Northern Hemisphere this fall and winter.
Laguna Beach is hosting a Super El Niño Community Preparedness Workshop on Oct. 12. Residents can register to learn more about how they can prepare for the historic weather event and protect their homes and businesses.
Editors’ Note: This dispatch is part of the Voice of OC Collegiate News Service, working with student journalists to cover public policy issues across Orange County. If you would like to submit your own student media project related to Orange County civics or if you have any response to this work, contact admin@voiceofoc.org.
It comes after multiple people of various ages died along the Laguna Beach coastline this summer.
It started when 5-year-old Amada Mia Brown was swept away by a rogue wave at Treasure Island Beach in June. Brown’s death was then followed by the death of 24-year-old Moustafa Gulzarzada, who was reported missing while swimming at Crescent Bay Beach on Aug. 4.
According to reports, Gulzarzada was located by the Laguna Beach Marine Safety dive team less than an hour after he was reported missing. He was transported to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, where he was pronounced dead.
Similarly, 41-year-old body surfer Justin Anand Shahani was pronounced dead at Mission Hospital in late August after being pulled from the water unconscious and experiencing cardiac arrest.
In a city newsletter published Aug. 26, Laguna Beach City Manager Dave Kiff addressed the incidents.
“Three people lost their lives during these various events, and that takes a big toll on first responders who pride themselves in saving people,” Kiff said in the statement.
“We still do not know the direct cause of death of the Laguna Beach resident who so recently passed away while bodysurfing at Crescent Bay, but we know that he, his family and other loved ones got up that morning not having any inkling that he would not see the end of the day.”
On Sept. 10, Kiff declared the upcoming El Niño as a local emergency, with the Laguna Beach City Council ratifying the proclamation on Sept. 14.
Summer is historically the deadliest season for drowning incidents in California.
According to the California Water Safety Coalition, 48% of all drowning deaths occur between June and August, making the summer months a particularly high-risk period for water-related emergencies.
These occurrences have taken place during a summer marked by changing ocean conditions and significant sand movement along Laguna Beach’s shoreline. Large swells can alter the shape of the beach and create stronger currents, deeper channels and other hazards that may not be immediately visible.
“We had a summer impacted by unforeseen swells,” said Kai Bond, Marine Safety Chief for Laguna Beach and head lifeguard for all the city’s beaches, in an interview. “At the beginning of the summer, we had a pretty large swell, which has contributed to extreme sand movement.”
These conditions make it particularly important for swimmers, surfers and other beachgoers to assess the ocean before entering the water. Conditions can vary significantly between beaches and can change throughout the day, Bond said, making an area that appears calm from shore potentially hazardous.
Bond said visitors should take several precautions before entering the water.
“The three things you should do is one, check the conditions before going,” Bond said. “Two, upon your arrival, [check] with a lifeguard and ask them what the conditions are like.”
He also emphasized the importance of remaining aware of the status of the water even if previously following the directions of lifeguards.
For Laguna Beach lifeguards, responding to emergencies is a routine part of summer operations, but the number and severity of accidents this season have highlighted the risks that come with entering the ocean.
Lifeguards encourage beachgoers to remain alert, understand their surroundings and seek information about current conditions before entering the water, which have only been further emphasized as surf conditions continue to strongly fluctuate.
This concern comes as Laguna Beach continues to prepare for El Niño. The California Coastal Commission said the developing El Niño could bring more frequent and intense storms, rainfall and high-wave conditions to coastal communities during the winter.
Laguna Beach has already seen the effects of changing coastal conditions.
City leaders said a swell generated by Hurricane Marie beginning Sept. 2 moved significant amounts of sand from local beaches and contributed to ongoing erosion. By mid-September, six oceanfront homes had been yellow-tagged because of compromised seawalls, while part of the Aliso Beach parking lot had failed.
City officials said their emergency declaration would help the city pursue funding and regulatory flexibility for shoreline protection, sand placement and repairs.
The Collegiate News Service is a partnership between Voice of OC and local student journalists. Contact this story’s reporter by emailing poague@chapman.edu
