Edhat Staff
Ventura County and City rescuers responded to at least eight people stranded in high surf and flooded coastal areas of Ventura on Thursday.
Residents in the State Beach and Pierpont neighborhoods were forced to evacuate due to flooding and dangerous waves.
An estimated eight people were rescued near San Pedro Street and Seaward Avenue as waves crashed through gates and windows. No life-threatening injuries were reported, according to Ventura County Fire Capt. Brian McGrath.
#HighSurf; High Surf Advisories remain in effect throughout @CountyVentura Please stay away from the water. Multiple rescues have been made. Numerous areas have been flooded and resulted in injuries. Heavy traffic northbound 101 through @cityofventura @VCFD @OxnardFire pic.twitter.com/PdzoFttH7U
— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) December 28, 2023
“It ended up being a total of eight patients due to surf that came over the wall and flooded the streets,” McGrath said.
The Fire Departments responded to the 900 block of San Pedro Street at 10:50 a.m. Thursday for a reported ocean rescue with multiple people in the water.
Firefighters arrived and located two surfers in distress with State Lifeguards initiating a rescue. While on scene a large wave approached the brick wall at the end of Seaward Avenue, overtopping the wall and injuring multiple people.
#HighSurf – Watch when a rogue wave hits the beach at the end of Seward Ave in the City of Ventura. This occurred during the high surf advisory at high tide. Because of this wave eight people were transported to local hospitals. Currently the beaches are closed in Ventura County… pic.twitter.com/VlRlgRLhpn
— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) December 29, 2023
Firefighters quickly conducted an assessment and found nine victims needing treatment and
transportation to the emergency room. Due to the number of injured individuals, a Mass
Casualty Incident (MCI) was declared.
While responding to the MCI, a state lifeguard went missing with a victim in the water, and a “mayday” was declared to rescue the swimmer and victim.
As firefighters were handling the rescue, they also received a report of smoke from a commercial building on Seaward. Other units on scene worked to address that incident simultaneously that was also handled with units on scene.
All injured parties were transported to hospitals in Ventura and Santa Barbara for treatment.
The Ventura Fire Department urges the public to head warnings from public safety officials, obey posted signage, and stay out of coastal areas if possible.
VCFD firefighters and the City of Ventura, and their public works department are preparing for Saturday’s storm. Crews continue to reinforce the sand berm and clean up after yesterday’s rogue wave incident. VCFD Hand Crew members are working with the City’s Public Works by… pic.twitter.com/MtdNn5Wf7W
— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) December 29, 2023
