Powerful storms in the Pacific Ocean sent massive waves crashing into coastal towns along the California coast.
According to Fox 11 Los Angeles, several homes and businesses were damaged with people inside them.
In addition, a lifeguard who was trying to rescue a surfer had to be pulled from the powerful waters just before a massive wave hit.
Resident Kim Lamberg stated, “The biggest wave of the day came in and caught all of us off-guard because we weren’t paying attention to the ocean anymore, we were around a human.”
“So anyways, it was really heavy. We left. We evacuated,” she added.
Capt. Brian McGrath of the Ventura County Fire Department warned others to “stay away for your own safety, because these wave still are pretty high and can impact you if you’re not paying attention.”
The New York Post reported that 20 Pierpont beachgoers faced a towering wave that reached up to 20 feet tall in Ventura and eight people were reported injured.
An evacuation warning was issued in Santa Cruz as well. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office warned residents of “high tides and flooding.”
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office information officer, Ashley Keehn, told KTVU FOX 2, “We put evacuation warnings into place around 8 a.m. this morning for this area, and, as you can see, these waves are incredibly powerful,” per the New York Post.
The National Weather Service reported that waves in the Bay area climbed as tall as 28 to 33 feet high causing catastrophic damage.
WIPEOUT! Kids watching the waves in Santa Cruz were tossed when a big one crashed into the rocks. pic.twitter.com/UMljSqBWln
— KSBW Action News 8 (@ksbw) December 28, 2023
KSBW Action News 8 posted footage of two children being “soaked” in Santa Cruz as onlookers laugh.
DOG NEARLY SWEPT AWAY | A dog made a miraculous escape against high surf in Santa Cruz on Thursday. After being nearly washed out to sea, the dog was then thrown back onto the road by the surf. pic.twitter.com/XQEByksPM8
— KSBW Action News 8 (@ksbw) December 29, 2023
The outlet also displayed footage of a dog fighting the surf before nearly being swept out to sea and then pushed to higher ground, displaying the mixed response to the situation.