Two people were rescued and a third swam to safety Monday after a California pier under construction partially collapsed and fell into the ocean while being pounded by heavy surf. The surge was brought to the state's central coast by a major storm expected to deliver hurricane-force winds to the seas off the Pacific Northwest, authorities said. Residents were warned to stay away from low-lying areas near the beaches around the Santa Cruz Wharf, where the collapse occurred, as the storm rapidly gained strength, the AP reports.
"You are risking your life, and those of the people that would need to try and save you by getting in or too close to the water," the National Weather Service's Bay Area office posted on X. Lifeguards rescued two people from the water, officials with Santa Cruz Fire Department said. There were no serious injuries, Mayor Fred Keeley said, adding that the section of the wharf that collapsed had been damaged over time. The structure, about 70 miles south of San Francisco, was in the middle of a $4 million renovation following destructive storms last winter. "It's a catastrophe for those down at the end of the wharf," said David Johnston, who was allowed onto the pier to check on his business, Venture Quest Kayaking.
One official estimated that about 150 feet of the end of the wharf fell into the water around 12:45pm. Two engineers and a project manager who were inspecting the end of the wharf fell into the water, officials said. No members of the public were in the area. The wharf was immediately evacuated and will remain closed indefinitely. Some of the pilings are still in the ocean and remain "serious, serious hazards" to boats, the mayor said. The end of the pier that broke off had been shut down during renovations. The portion, which included public restrooms and the closed Dolphin restaurant, floated about a half-mile down the coast and wedged itself at the bottom of the San Lorenzo River.
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