MIAMI.-Giant waves, caused by a strong storm that hits part of the eastern United States, caused injuries, serious flooding and damage to the southern coast California, Therefore, the authorities issued urgent precautionary warnings against possible storm surges and riptide in that state.
About 20 people, spectators watching the rough sea, were swept away by a wave that surpassed in height the barrier placed along Ventura beach, in southern California. Eight of them were taken to the hospital, authorities reported.
Images of the waves of great strength and height were captured by the media, as an example of the bad weather that is hitting the coasts and the danger it represents of not taking precautions in these days close to the New Year.
A fisherman, whose name was not released, was reported to have fallen into the waters at a port off Oxnard, but later managed to get ashore uninjured, the Ventura County Fire Department told media.
The authorities warned that high tides and strong rip currents will continue during the day and probably during the weekend in some sectors of the California coast, so they called to avoid being near the beaches.
Alerts for coastal flooding and high waves currently cover much of the west coast from the US-Mexico border to southern Oregon, the National Metereological Service which reports on weather conditions, hydrology and climatological forecasts and issues warnings for the US.
Since early 2023, California has been affected by storms. Last March, a strong storm caused the death of two people and damage to the coast of Monterey County.
Despite the disasters and warnings, the giant waves have also been an attraction for surfers and spectators who like the spectacle offered by the “choppy sea.”
Source: With information from CNN, KTLA 5, National Meteorological Service, Diario Las Américas Editorial Team
