A colossal rogue wave breached coastal barriers, causing onlookers to scatter in the California beach town of Ventura. The Ventura County Fire Department reported that eight individuals were transported to the hospital in connection with the incident.
The department shared a video of this unexpected event on Facebook, cautioning the public: “For your safety, please avoid the area near the ocean, as it can be quite dangerous.”
Intense storms in the Pacific have unleashed waves reaching heights of up to 40 feet along the California coast this week.
Ariel Cohen from the National Weather Service explained to SFGate, “It was a combination of many factors that brought about that surge in Ventura and Ventura Harbor. At the time of high tide, we had a tremendous amount of wave energy, and the collection of all that energy resulted in a surge of water that extended into coastal Ventura. It was midday when this happened, and the flooding occurred at other points during the day as well.” A colossal rogue
In other incidents, sneaker waves breached sea walls, drenching onlookers in Santa Cruz and at the renowned big-wave surfing destination, Mavericks, in Northern California.
The National Weather Service has issued flood and high surf warnings, effective through Saturday in Northern California and Monday morning in Southern California. The NWS cautioned of “dangerously large breaking waves of 28 to 33 feet with isolated waves up to 40 feet” in Northern California.
Large breaking waves may sweep people off jetties and docks,” it added of conditions in Southern California. “Strong rip currents will pose a risk of ocean drowning. Beach erosion is likely.”
Flooding has already occurred in the cities of Aptos, Ventura, and Oxnard.
Residents of Ventura were seen paddleboarding through flooded streets.