Malibu takes extra precautions as storm hits Southern California

Malibu, already dealing with coastal erosion from previous storms, is taking extra precautions as a storm hits Southern California. 

"In two years, we've had four brush fires. We've had multiple earthquakes, blackouts," resident Scott McKay said.

McKay moved from Calabasas to live the Malibu dream, but he said the last couple of years have felt more like a nightmare.

"It's just been difficult," he said. "Now, to see our beach washing away is depressing."

What was once a sandy stretch of paradise is now a shoreline scarred by powerful surf and high tides. 

"It came all the way up and it picked away at the edge of the road here," Malibu city spokesperson Matt Meyerhoff said. "It also broke a water main. That became a public safety concern."

The damage occurred near Point Dume, where crews are now placing large boulders to protect the road from further erosion and flooding. With the storm moving in, the city is racing to shore up its coastline before more damage is done.

"The boulders work," Malibu Public Works spokesperson Wade Major said. "They work as a temporary solution."

The danger isn't just along the coast. Recent wildfires have stripped vegetation from nearby hillsides, leaving the ground more vulnerable to mudslides. City crews are clearing drains and monitoring roads for trouble spots. 

For the people who have already weathered so much, they say the uncertainty is exhausting.

"Who knows what's going to happen," McKay said. "I don't know. It's nerve-wracking, and it's a shame."