SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Persistent high surf and flooding threats along California's coast had residents on high alert a day after a major storm was blamed for one man's death and the partial collapse of a pier, which propelled three people into the Pacific Ocean.
And two other men remained missing Tuesday, one of them presumed dead, after being swept out to sea in central California, while the U.S. Coast Guard in the Los Angeles area searched for two others after their boat was found overturned earlier in the day.
The National Weather Service on Christmas Eve warned of dangerous, large-breaking waves of up to 35 feet (10.7 meters). Its latest high surf warning expired at 6 p.m.
''Large waves can sweep across the beach without warning, pulling people into the sea from rocks, jetties and beaches,'' the weather service said in a Christmas Eve bulletin.
In Santa Cruz, where a municipal wharf under construction partially collapsed on Monday, most beaches were cordoned off as they were inundated with high surf and debris.
Residents received an alert on their phones Tuesday morning notifying them to ''avoid all beaches including coastal overlook areas such as rocks, jetties or cliffs.'' It warned powerful waves could sweep entire beaches unexpectedly.
Local officials said there could be further damage to the wharf, but no more pieces broke off overnight.
The wharf collapsed and fell into the ocean midday Monday, taking three people with it. Two people were rescued by lifeguards and a third swam to safety. No one was seriously injured.