California’s Record‑Breaking Waves Flood Beaches, Force Pier Closures
California’s biggest waves in a decade battered beaches and flooded streets, prompting pier closures and evacuation warnings across Santa Cruz County.
POLICY WIRE — San Francisco, USA — California’s largest waves in a decade crashed onto the state’s coast, flooding streets and eroding shoreline protection.
The swell, which reached heights of up to 15 feet at some spots, hit iconic surf spots like Mavericks and caused record‑sized breakers that even seasoned riders struggled to manage.
Manhattan Beach Pier was shut down after “very large surf” threatened beachgoers, while streets along the coast were inundated by the towering waves, leading to widespread damage and beach closures.
Officials in Santa Cruz County issued evacuation warnings for several neighborhoods after the flooding intensified, urging residents to move to higher ground and stay away from the shoreline.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)