High surf pounds SoCal coast, floods streets in Ventura County
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. - Officials called for beach closures in Ventura and Oxnard after massive waves and high surf pounded the Ventura County coastline, causing major flooding and damage. More rogue waves were expected through the New Year's holiday weekend as a storm moves into the region.
The beach closures were in effect through at least Saturday.
Several streets, cars and homes along the Ventura coast were flooded as waves, as high as 20 feet, hit the Ventura Pier.
On Thursday, the swell was so powerful it pushed a tree and water right through the protective glass and caused major damage to the hotel, Inn on the Beach, located on Seaward Avenue.
RELATED: Dangerous surf threatens Ventura County coast
According to the Ventura County Fire Department, multiple rescues were made, including a lifeguard who got caught in the tide while attempting to rescue a surfer.
"Thank you, God, he crawled up and told him ‘you’re alive, you made it'", said Kim Lamberg.
Lamberg, along with her neighbors, saw his yellow helmet bobbing in the water and called 911. They got him out just in time as another wave hit.
"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," she added.
In total, eight people were injured.
The high surf advisory led to a rogue wave pounding Seaward Street in Ventura, sending people like Ty Miller running.
"I was standing right there at the end of the wall and then there's just this wave. Everybody was watching the wave because it's a huge wave coming at you and right when it got closer, that's when everybody started to run and then all hell broke loose," said Miller.
Miller said there were about 14 people around when the wave hit.
"I grabbed an elderly lady so she didn't slide all the way down and everybody ended up at the bottom and I lost one of my crutches and I hobbled over to my truck," Miller said.
Ventura County Fire officials said eight people were injured.
"It was pretty bad, and then people were cut up and went to the paramedics. I work down here at Duke's so I'm down here every day and I've never seen waves pick up and swell that much," said Miller.
People are advised to stay away from the water. A High Surf Warning and Coastal Flood Warning remain in effect through Saturday at 10 p.m. In Orange County, the coastal flood and high surf advisories will be in effect until 2 a.m. Monday
According to forecasters from the National Weather Service, the next set of big swells will arrive Saturday.