California Storm Claims Life, Collapses Pier, Unleashes Powerful Surf

A powerful storm battered California’s central coast on Monday, unleashing torrential rain, flooding, and dangerously high surf that led to tragedy and significant damage, The Associated Press reports.

The storm, expected to bring hurricane-force winds and massive waves up to 60 feet, caused widespread evacuations, a fatality, and the partial collapse of a historic pier.

The first tragedy occurred at Sunset State Beach in Watsonville, along Monterey Bay, where a man was trapped under debris by a large wave. First responders were called to the scene around 11:30 a.m. Monday, but the man was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office believes the man was pinned by the force of the wave. His identity has not yet been released.

Further south, near Marina State Beach, a second man was pulled into the Pacific Ocean by the powerful surf around noon. Search efforts were hampered by dangerous conditions and strong currents, forcing authorities to abandon their search roughly two hours later. The man remains missing.

The most dramatic damage occurred at the Santa Cruz Wharf, which partially collapsed under the relentless assault of the storm. Some 150 feet of the end of the wharf, which included public restrooms and the closed Dolphin restaurant, broke off and floated about half a mile down the coast, eventually wedging itself at the bottom of the San Lorenzo River.

Three people, identified as two engineers and a project manager who were inspecting the wharf’s end, were thrown into the ocean when the structure gave way. No members of the public were in the area at the time. They were rescued and are being assessed for injuries. The collapsed portion had been closed for renovations. The wharf has been under a $4 million renovation following previous storm damage.

Santa Cruz Mayor Keeley explained that the damaged section had been deteriorating over time and was undergoing repairs when the collapse occurred. The entire wharf was immediately evacuated and will remain closed indefinitely. Authorities are now concerned about the remaining pilings in the ocean, which are considered serious hazards for boats. Building inspectors are currently evaluating the structural integrity of the rest of the pier.

The storm’s impact was not limited to California’s central coast. Further north, from the central Oregon coast to southwestern Washington, forecasters predicted dangerous surf conditions and waves up to 30 feet. The National Weather Service office in Portland, Oregon, stated that it was likely to be “some of the highest surf this winter,” with winds potentially peaking near 80 mph. A high surf warning was in effect until Monday night.