Dramatic moment freak wave bursts through California pier as powerful tides flood streets

Detailed summary

See the scary moment a freak wave wrecked a pier railing in the Northern California city of Capitola.

Terrifying video captured the moment a freak wave smashed through a pier railing in the Northern California city of Capitola.

Video shared with KSBW showed a wave slamming into the Capitola Wharf and shredding a railing around 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

Residents expressed concern for the historic wharf, which suffered damage from severe storms in 2023. The wharf reopened in 2024 after more than $8 million in reconstruction work. It’s unclear whether it will need additional repairs.

The surf and dangerous tides have also raised flooding concerns, prompting local officials to issue an evacuation warning for coastal residents.

“The Capitola Police Department has issued an EVACUATION WARNING for low-lying coastal areas within the City of Capitola due to significant wave activity and hazardous surf conditions,” the department wrote in an Instagram post.

“Large waves have the potential to reach coastal homes, businesses, and properties, causing dangerous flooding and making access to affected areas difficult or unsafe.”

The warning covers the Capitola Wharf Area, South of Cliff Drive and west of Soquel Creek, and the Capitola Village Area between Capitola Avenue and Monterey Avenue, including areas west of Riverview Avenue and south of the railroad tracks.

Capitola is a small city in Santa Cruz County, about 40 miles north of Monterey.

Coastal communities across California are bracing for serious swells as a “storm train” barrels down on the Golden State.

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