At least one person is dead and three others are missing in the aftermath of a powerful storm that has ravaged the California coast. The storm has caused significant damage, including the collapse of a wharf section, the destruction of a boat, and the accumulation of dangerous debris. California residents are urged to avoid all wharves, piers, and other waterfront structures as 20- to 30-foot waves are predicted to continue battering the northern Pacific coast throughout the week.
The National Weather Service issued this warning following the collapse of a 150-foot section of the Santa Cruz wharf on Monday. High waves and storm debris were responsible for the death of a Santa Cruz County man on a Watsonville beach. Further south, the Coast Guard suspended its search on Thursday morning for two men missing after a fishing trip off the coast of Palos Verdes. The wreckage of their boat was discovered on Tuesday. The National Weather Service warned of life-threatening surf conditions, urging inexperienced swimmers to stay out of the water and advising everyone to never turn their backs on the ocean. Similar warnings of high surf and rip currents were issued for the Los Angeles area.
In Santa Cruz, three city workers were injured but survived after a large section of the pier, including a closed restaurant, collapsed and floated away during the high surf on Monday. Meanwhile, nearly 20 miles south at Sunset State Beach, rescue crews responded to reports of a man trapped under debris around 11:30 am on Monday. The man was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. Around noon that same day, Marina police responded to Marina State Beach after reports of an adult male being swept into the water by high surf. Despite bystanders’ attempts to rescue him, strong currents and high waves prevented their efforts. As of Tuesday, the man remained missing.
Santa Cruz resident Bud Freitas described the devastation to the Los Angeles Times, stating, “It’s total chaos. I just did a drive through the south side of town and the beaches are all tore up. It looks like a bomb went off.”