“Everybody was running for their lives and screaming,” one resident says. “I’ve seen big waves but I’ve never seen something that looks similar to a tsunami.”
Authorities issued a warning to stay far from the water as monstrous waves battered the California coastline. Powerful storms are bringing towering swells and life-threatening rip currents.
Crowds fled oncoming waves. Waves swept up some people who miscalculated the power of the sea. Even a lifeguard was overcome and had to be rescued.
Restaurants’ outdoor dining areas were inundated.
Evacuation orders were issued in several coastal cities. A mile-long berm, or sand barrier, was thrown up overnight in an attempt to protect homes and businesses on the shore in Ventura, California.
Authorities forecast the surf will be extremely dangerous again this New Year’s Eve weekend.
“Waves are going to be running 18 to 20 feet. If you think about that, if you’re six feet tall, a 20-foot wave is 14 feet over your head or as high as a two-story building,” KCAL meteorologist Paul Deanno tells Inside Edition.
Colin Hogue captured the monstrous waves on video.
“Everybody was running for their lives and screaming,” Hogue says. “I’ve seen big waves but I’ve never seen something that looks similar to a tsunami.”
The hotel seen in the video was closed Friday due to flooding. Owner of Inn On the Beach Judy Thomas says eight of the rooms are “gone.”
“Stay well back from the water’s edge,” the National Weather Service said. “Never turn your back to the ocean.”
