Three people fell into the water but survived with only “minor injuries” when a 150-foot section of the Santa Cruz Wharf in Santa Cruz, California, collapsed and floated away on Monday, according to local officials and the National Weather Service (NWS) .
The collapse comes as the area is experiencing large swells that are expected to bring waves up to 25 feet (7.9 meters) high to the central coast, along with hurricane-force winds.
Lifeguards rescued two people from the water and a third person was able to swim to safety, the Santa Cruz Fire Department said on Instagram. At a news conference, local officials said all three people who fell into the water had worked for the city: one was a program manager for the parks and recreation department, and the two others were contractors for the same department.
The three workers were uninjured or suffered only “minor injuries,” Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley said. The end of the wharf had previously been damaged by winter storms and was undergoing repairs, and was closed to the public during renovation work.
Some of the dock’s pilings are still in the ocean and still pose a “serious, serious danger,” the mayor said. Each pole weighs hundreds of kilos and is pushed by powerful waves.
California Governor Gavin Newsom joined the National Weather Service in urging people in the area to exercise caution in the ocean in the coming days. The social media post said Newsom was coordinating with local officials and stood ready to provide support.
“You risk your life and the lives of the people who should be trying to save you by getting into or too close to the water,” the NWS said.
The NWS warns everyone to stay out of the water and off jetties, piers and other waterfront structures. Beachgoers are warned never to turn their backs on the ocean.
Tony Elliot, the head of the Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Department, estimated that about 150 feet of the end of the dock fell into the water around 12:45 p.m. The yard was immediately evacuated and will remain closed indefinitely.
The part of the wharf that broke off, including the public toilets and the closed Dolphin Restaurant, floated about half a mile (0.8 km) down the coast and wedged itself at the bottom of the San Lorenzo River.
Monday’s collapse came about a year after the Seacliff State Beach pier just offshore was battered beyond repair by a major winter storm. More than 1,000 homes in the Santa Cruz area were also damaged in last year’s storm, and south of Santa Cruz, in San Luis Obispo, a five-year-old child was swept away by the water. More than 20 people across California were killed in a series of winter storms that ravaged the region.
The Associated Press contributed to the reporting
