Two people were safely rescued when a section of a California pier under construction took an unexpected dive into the ocean on Monday. This occurred as the state’s central coast was hit hard by heavy surf from a major storm that’s also expected to bring hurricane-force winds to the Pacific Northwest.
Authorities have advised residents to steer clear of low-lying beach areas around the Santa Cruz Wharf, located about 70 miles south of San Francisco, as the storm continues to strengthen.
“You are risking your life and those of the people who would need to rescue you if you get too close to the water,” the National Weather Service’s Bay Area office cautioned on social media. Lifeguards heroically rescued two people from the water, and a third person managed to swim to safety on their own, according to the Santa Cruz Fire Department. Fortunately, no one sustained serious injuries, Mayor Fred Keeley confirmed.
The mayor explained that the collapsed section of the wharf had been weakened over time. The structure was undergoing a $4 million renovation following destructive storms from last winter. The mayor also warned that some of the wharf’s pilings, which weigh hundreds of pounds each, remain in the ocean and pose serious hazards to boats as they are being pushed around by powerful waves, said a report on ABC News.
Tony Elliot, head of the Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation Department, estimated that about 150 feet of the wharf’s end fell into the water around 12:45 p.m. The area was promptly evacuated and will remain closed indefinitely.
Watch a video of the Santa Monica pier that collapsed:
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