3 fall into ocean after California wharf partially collapses due to heavy surf from major storm

SANTA CRUZ, California — Two people were rescued and a third swam to safety after a California pier under construction partially collapsed and fell into the ocean Monday as the state’s central coast was pounded by heavy surf from a major storm expected to bring hurricane-force winds to the seas off the Pacific Northwest, authorities said.

Residents were warned to stay away from low-lying areas near the beaches around the Santa Cruz Wharf, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of San Francisco, as the storm rapidly gained strength.

The storm’s high surf and flooding prompted the city of Capitola — some 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) east of the wharf along the Monterey Bay — to order guests at a waterfront hotel to evacuate if they had ocean-facing units. Residents in the city’s business district were told to shelter in place or leave the area immediately.

In Santa Cruz, lifeguards rescued two people from the water after a section of the pier collapsed, officials said. No one had serious injuries, Mayor Fred Keeley said.




https://www.kivitv.com/news/3-fall-into-ocean-after-california-wharf-partially-collapses-due-to-heavy-surf-from-major-storm