The rough surf was produced by an atmospheric river event that brought several storm systems to the West Coast.
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – An atmospheric river event that generated storm systems along the West Coast caused the partial collapse of Santa Cruz’s wharf and damaged several boats as a surge of water raced into a nearby marina.
Video taken Monday captured the moment the rough swell rolled through the harbor in Santa Cruz.
Eric Friccero, an employee at the marina, recorded the moments when strong waves damaged docks and caused boats to collide.
Several boats appeared to be heavily damaged despite owners’ attempts to secure their vessels before and during the event.
Less than 2 miles away, approximately 150 feet of a pier under reconstruction collapsed, sending three people into the Pacific Ocean.
Bystanders watched in horror as the structure bobbed violently in the angry ocean and lifeguards worked to account for those potentially missing.
First responders reported that the three individuals on the collapsed section of the pier survived and were treated for minor injuries.
The collapsed section was not open to the public and was undergoing a multi-million-dollar rehabilitation project to repair damage from previous coastal storms.
Despite the damage to the harbor and the pier, no significant injuries were reported at either site.
Elsewhere in the state, at least two people were reported killed by rough surf conditions, despite National Weather Service warnings of life-threatening conditions along the coast.
“You are risking your life, and those of the people who would need to try and save you, by getting in or too close to the water,” NWS meteorologists warned at the time.
Dangerous surf washed away a 150-foot chunk of the Santa Cruz wharf. The extreme waves and coastal flooding are forecast to continue for all of the Pacific Coast through Tuesday.
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The remaining section of the Santa Cruz pier has been closed indefinitely, with local officials unsure when the more than 100-year-old wharf will reopen again.
An estimated 1.5 million visitors stop by the site every year for events such as shopping, dining, fishing and nature watching.