Huge waves brought by Pacific storm cause part of California pier to collapse, two people rescued

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — Two people were rescued after part of a pier under construction collapsed and fell into the ocean on Monday as California’s central coast was lashed by a massive storm that was expected to bring hurricane force winds to the state Strong winds.

As the storm rapidly intensified, residents were warned to stay away from low-lying areas near the beaches around the Santa Cruz Pier, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of San Francisco.

“You risk your life and the lives of those who need to try to save you because you enter or are too close to the water,” the National Weather Service Bay Area office said on the social platform X.

Santa Cruz Fire Department officials said lifeguards rescued two people from the water and a third person swam to safety. Mayor Fred Keeley said no one was seriously injured.

The mayor said the collapsed portion of the pier had been damaged over time. The building is undergoing a $4 million renovation after last winter’s devastating storms.

Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Department Director Tony Elliott estimated that about 150 feet (45 meters) of the end of the pier fell into the water around 12:45 p.m. People were immediately evacuated and will be closed indefinitely.

The mayor said some of the pier’s pilings were still in the sea and still posed a “very, very serious danger” to ships. Each pile weighs hundreds of pounds and is pushed by powerful waves.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said the state’s Office of Emergency Services is coordinating with local officials.

Forecasters warned that storm surge would continue to increase throughout the day.

“We expect what’s coming to be going to be more serious than what we saw this morning,” the mayor said.

Waves along California’s central coast could reach 26 feet (8 meters) as the Pacific storm intensifies on Monday, the weather service said.

“Tonight, a rapidly developing storm will bring hurricane-force winds offshore the Pacific Northwest,” the Weather Service’s Ocean Forecast Center said on Sunday. Wind speeds near Oregon and Washington could peak near 80 mph. hours (130 km/h), an ocean will form.

The broken pier end has been closed during renovations. This section, which includes public restrooms and the closed Dolphin Restaurant, floats about half a mile (0.8 kilometers) along the coast and is wedged into the bottom of the San Lorenzo River.

Officials said the people who fell overboard were two engineers and a project manager who were inspecting the end of the pier. There is no public in the area.

Building inspectors are now checking the structural integrity of the rest of the Santa Cruz Pier.

Monday’s collapse comes a year after the Seacliff State Beach Pier near the coast was destroyed beyond repair by a winter storm.

___ Dazio reported from Los Angeles.