Dangerous waves pound California, crush part of Santa Cruz Wharf and prompt water rescues

Santa Cruz police and fire departments pulled two people out of the Pacific Ocean Monday afternoon when part of the Santa Cruz Wharf collapsed into the ocean and was seen floating away.

Construction workers were on the wharf due to ongoing construction when powerful waves smashed it apart. They were rescued by Santa Cruz County lifeguards, and one person was able to get out of the water on their own, according to the fire department. Fortunately, this area of the wharf has been closed to the public since January 2024.

The entire municipal wharf will be closed until further notice. In addition, Main Beach and Cowell's Beach have been closed due to the high surf advisory and the large amounts of debris, including potentially hazardous materials, released during the collapse.

In a news conference Monday afternoon, Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley said a bathroom on the wharf was pushed onto the beach and that along with the powerful waves, the wharf wreckage was extremely dangerous and warned the public to stay out of the water.

"Some of the pilings and piers that were destroyed and washed away are in the ocean and they are serious, serious hazards for people and for any kind of navigation, so we are asking people not to be in the water, not to be on the beach, not to have their vehicles or boats out in the water," Keeley said adding, "these are massive piers which weigh hundreds and hundreds of pounds apiece and they are not something we think folks ought to mess around with."

Officials are assessing the structural integrity of the wharf and warning people to be cautious of the ocean and wave activity and pay attention to the high surf warnings as a storm pounds the west.

Authorities are urging the public to avoid all coastal areas, including overlook areas such as rocks, jetties, or cliffs. The ocean conditions are currently life-threatening, with dangerous and powerful waves that can sweep across entire beaches unexpectedly. Residents and visitors are advised not to enter the water or cross flooded streets.

"We are anticipating that what is coming towards us is more serious than what was there this morning. This is going to be high tide at the time we have king tides and all kinds of other activities out there in the Pacific Ocean," Keeley advised.

On Tuesday and Tuesday night, a new storm will come ashore, AccuWeather meteorologists say, and precipitation could eventually fall as far south as Los Angeles.

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