UPDATE: Sewage Spill Closes Neighboring Beaches

While there are no official beach closures in place for Seal Beach, it might be a good idea to skip the morning swim due to the storm runoff and the sewage spill that has closed the entire Long Beach shoreline.

As the reports, beaches in Long Beach have been ordered closed due to a sewage release into the Los Angeles River far inland near Studio City that may reach the Long Beach shoreline, a Long Beach health officer said Monday.

The rain-flooded sewage system overflowed at about 8 p.m. Sunday night and the origin of the spill was contained by about 11:30 p.m., according to Long Beach Health Officer Dr. Helen Calvet.

"It may not reach us, but it's a precautionary measure," said Steve Nakauchi of the Long Beach Bureau of Environmental Health. Long Beach might be the only coastal city impacted by the spill due to the L.A. River emptying into the ocean at Long Beach Harbor.

Belmont Shore beaches and other waterfront areas were closed about 11:30 a.m. today as a pre-emptive strike in the event the sewage makes its way the 39 miles from the overflow to the mouth of the harbor, Nakauchi explained.

In Seal Beach there is already a warning announced for the public to stay out of the water, as is standard, for at least 72 hours after a significant rainfall, which can carry bacteria and other pollutants from runoff into the sea.

The beaches in Long Beach will remain closed until daily water testing results are within state standards, said Calvet. For more information, call a recorded line at (562) 570-4199, and if it hasn't been updated (today it says last updated March 15) call Nakauchi at (562) 570-4134.

City News Service contributed to this report.