Violent, storm-fueled waves that collapsed a portion of the Santa Cruz Wharf are additionally being blamed for the demise of a person who was discovered pinned beneath particles on a stretch of Monterey Bay shoreline, in addition to the disappearance of one other man.
Emergency crews have been known as to Sundown State Seaside at 11:30 a.m. Monday to help a person who was reported trapped beneath particles amid excessive surf. The person was freed and brought to a hospital the place he was pronounced lifeless, in line with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Workplace. His identification is being withheld till his household is notified.
In the meantime, about 15 miles farther down the coast, harmful circumstances compelled authorities to name off a seek for a person who was swept into the ocean at Marina State Seaside round midday, in line with the Marina Police Division. The 2 incidents are usually not believed to be associated, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s workplace mentioned.
Bystanders at Marina State Seaside reported {that a} man was overcome by excessive surf and pulled out to sea, police mentioned. They have been unable to assist him due to the massive waves and powerful present.
First responders didn’t see the lacking man once they arrived on the seaside. They started their search round 300 yards north of Dunes Drive, the place the person entered the ocean.
The U.S. Coast Guard and California Freeway Patrol searched by air and by sea, however have been additionally unable to seek out the person. At 2 p.m., the search was deemed too harmful to proceed as a result of worsening climate circumstances. The lacking man’s identification was not launched by police.
On Monday, the Nationwide Climate Service issued a excessive surf warning for California’s northern coast — together with Santa Cruz, Level Reyes, San Francisco and northern Monterey Bay — and urged individuals to keep away from seashores as a result of life-threatening circumstances till 6 p.m. Tuesday.
“Large waves can sweep across the beach without warning, pulling people into the sea from rocks, jetties and beaches,” the climate service mentioned. “Sudden immersion in cold water can result in cold water shock even for the most experienced swimmers.”
The pounding surf additionally brought about greater than 100 ft of the Santa Cruz Wharf to break down Monday afternoon, tossing a metropolis worker and two contractors into the chilly ocean, metropolis officers mentioned throughout a information convention.
Two of them have been rescued by lifeguards within the space, and the third was capable of get to security on their very own. The employees had been despatched to the pier to evaluate its stability, metropolis officers mentioned.
The highly effective surf is the results of a sequence of atmospheric river occasions which are bringing heavy rain to Northern California, Oregon and Washington state.
Instances employees author Salvador Hernandez contributed to this report.
