High, powerful waves were responsible for storm surge along the Santa Cruz County coast on Monday that heavily damaged one tourist attraction and forced the closure of another out of safety concerns.
The Dolphin restaurant and a public restroom at the end of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf plunged into the ocean Monday afternoon after the powerful surge took out the end of the popular wharf.
Santa Cruz city officials said reports of the collapse first came in about 12:44 p.m.
No serious injuries were reported among three construction workers who also went into the water. Two of the workers were rescued by Lifeguard Unit 3166, and another was able to get out of the water without assistance.
Due to ongoing construction, the area has been closed to the public since January.
A drone deployed by Santa Cruz police confirmed no additional victims were in the water and assessed the extent of the damage. The wharf will be closed until further notice.
The dangerous surf conditions also resulted in flooding that led authorities in nearby Capitola to close Capitola Village, police said just before 4 p.m.
People who live in the Venetian Court apartments were advised to evacuate any water-facing units.
Village residents in the 100 blocks of Esplanade and Monterey Avenue were advised to shelter in place or voluntarily leave the Village area, police said.
Conditions in Monterey Bay were expected to remain dangerous through noon on Christmas Eve.
Due to a high surf advisory and the large amounts of debris, including potentially hazardous materials released during the Santa Cruz Wharf incident, Main Beach and Cowell’s Beach were also closed.
Officials said that due to life-threatening ocean conditions, people should avoid all coastal areas, including overlook areas such as rocks, jetties, or cliffs.
Dangerous and powerful waves can sweep across entire beaches unexpectedly. People should not enter the water, and avoid crossing flooded streets.
Bay City News reporter Katy St. Clair contributed to this story.
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