Man dies after large wave trapped him under debris on California beach, likely related to storm

A man died Monday after a large wave trapped him beneath debris on a California beach, likely related to the storm pummeling the West Coast that brought high surf and flooding to central California, officials said.

A man died Monday after a large wave trapped him beneath debris on a California beach, likely related to the storm pummeling the West Coast that brought high surf and flooding to central California, officials said.

First responders were called to Sunset State Beach, a state park, around 11:30 a.m. Monday. The man was pronounced dead at a hospital. Other details were not immediately available and his name has not been released.

The storm’s high surf also likely pulled a man into the Pacific Ocean around noon Monday at Marina State Beach along the Monterey Bay, authorities said. Strong currents and high waves forced searchers to abandon their efforts roughly two hours later as conditions worsened. The man remained missing Monday evening.

In Santa Cruz, a pier under construction partially collapsed and fell into the ocean, taking three people with it. Two people were rescued by lifeguards and a third swam to safety. No one was seriously injured, Mayor Fred Keeley said.

Residents were warned to stay away from low-lying areas near the beaches around the Santa Cruz Wharf, about 70 miles (112 kilometres) south of San Francisco, as the storm rapidly gained strength.

The mayor said that section of the wharf had been damaged over time. The structure 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, owner of Venture Quest Kayaking, who was allowed onto the pier to check on his business.