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U.S.|Avoid California Beaches Because of Dangerous Waves, Officials Warn
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/24/us/california-beach-surf-pier-warning.html
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An unusually powerful surf has already killed one man and destroyed part of a historic pier in Santa Cruz, Calif.
Dec. 24, 2024, 2:39 p.m. ET
A day after a man died beneath ocean-swept debris and another man went missing along the California coast, officials warned people on Tuesday to stay away from many of the state’s beaches because of an unusually powerful surf that arrived just before the holidays.
The thrashing of Pacific Ocean waves on Monday also caused part of an iconic wooden pier in Santa Cruz, Calif., to collapse, sending three people into the sea, along with a large bathroom structure. The individuals were rescued and did not suffer serious injuries, according to the city’s mayor.
Dangerous surf pounded California beaches on Monday with waves up to 40 feet tall, and they were even bigger in some locations, including the Mavericks surf break off Half Moon Bay, a spot known for its big waves, 15 miles south of San Francisco.
The Weather Service extended a high surf warning through 6 p.m. Pacific time on Tuesday for coastal areas in the greater Bay Area, stretching from the Sonoma Coast to Monterey Bay. A similar warning was in place until midday in Central and Southern California.
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“Large breaking waves will continue to produce deadly conditions through the day,” the agency warned in its forecast.
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