Sea level rise is reshaping a California beach town and threatening a key rail line

San Clemente, a Southern California beach town, is facing significant coastal erosion driven by sea level rise. For years, residents and visitors could walk a mile along a stretch of cream-colored sand, but that trip has now been cut short as waves lap further ashore.

The ongoing erosion is not only altering the geography of the local coastline but also posing a direct threat to a key rail line that runs through the area, highlighting the growing vulnerability of coastal infrastructure in the region.