Huge surf causes flooding on the West Coast and Hawaii

Hurricanes in Oahu, California, as a Surfing Event during the High-Tidal-Surf Warning

Honolulu Ocean Safety lifeguards saved 20 people on the famed North Shore on Wednesday, according to Shayne Enright. They were also busy with thousands of “preventative actions,” she said.

Paishon, 30, has been surfing at various spots around Oahu this week, taking advantage of waves during this week’s high surf warning in effect till Friday morning.

On the California coast there were similar waves that flooded parking lots, streets and triggered warnings for low-lying areas.

“This is expected to be an exceptional high wave event that has not happened in a long time,” the weather service wrote. “Take caution and heed the direction of local authorities and lifeguards. The life-threatening sneaker waves are likely to occur if you turn your back to the water.

The waves were expected to hit 25 feet (8.6 meters) at some points. Predicting high tidesadded to a risk of more coastal flooding.

In Aptos on the north end of Monterey Bay, surf overran the beach and swept into a parking lot, leaving the area strewn with debris. Santa Cruz County issued warnings for people in several coastal areas to be ready to evacuate.

While not quite as huge, the waves along Southern California were also described as hazardous, with life-threatening rip currents. Nonetheless, surfers couldn’t resist.

He said that the waves were very sick, and that it was hard to get into even though he has a big board. I waited for a good one and got a long one. Pretty big. It was sick.”

Pierpont residents and bulldozers are protecting beaches in Ventura, Calif., after a huge rogue wave on Thursday

The Los Angeles-area weather office wrote that powerful cyclones over northern Pacific waters were sending 12- to 17-foot (3.6- to 5-meter) swells, creating “tremendous wave energy across coastal waters.”

The ocean was less violent Friday but the National Weather Service warned that another round of extremely dangerous surf conditions would return Saturday.

Eight people were taken to hospitals for treatment of injuries after the Pierpont incident, according to Ventura County authorities, who closed beaches, piers and harbors through Dec. 31.

“We have had water down the lane once before but never like this,” said Karris Kutivan, a 9-year resident of the scenic shoreline city about 60 miles (97 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles.

Dozens of people watched construction of the emergency barriers in the Pierpont area of Ventura where a rogue wave on Thursday hit spectators and vehicles at the beach.

VENTURA, Calif. — Bulldozers built giant sand berms Friday to protect beachfront homes in one of California’s coastal cities hit hard this week by extraordinary waves generated by powerful swells from Pacific storms.