A devastating incident on California's Central Coast has left a family torn apart after enormous waves swept a father and his five-year-old daughter into the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the man's death and an ongoing search for the missing child.
Tragedy Strikes at Garrapata State Beach
The catastrophe unfolded around 1 p.m. on Friday at Garrapata State Beach in Monterey County, where waves reaching an estimated 15 to 20 feet high pulled the young girl and both her parents into the chilly Pacific waters. According to sheriff's office reports, the mother managed to reach shore independently while an off-duty State Parks lifeguard rescued the father.
The rescued father was transported to a nearby hospital but was later pronounced dead. The mother remains in stable condition, suffering from mild hypothermia following the traumatic event.
Massive Search Operation Underway
Rescue operations for the missing five-year-old began immediately on Friday but were temporarily suspended that night due to dangerous weather conditions and poor visibility. The search resumed on Saturday morning with multiple agencies joining forces.
Personnel from the sheriff's office, California State Parks, Cal Fire, and the U.S. Coast Guard are participating in the intensive search effort. The Coast Guard has deployed a helicopter to assist in locating the child, though challenging conditions continue to hamper operations.
Severe Weather Wreaks Havoc Across California
The tragedy occurred as a powerful storm system, intensified by an atmospheric river, battered California beginning on Thursday. The severe weather has initiated the state's rainy season with widespread showers, heavy winds, and dangerous beach conditions.
In a separate weather-related incident, a 71-year-old man died in Sutter County on Friday afternoon when his vehicle was swept off a flooded bridge while attempting to receive a package delivery. Emergency crews arrived to find his vehicle completely submerged in Pleasant Grove Creek.
Authorities confirmed that signage indicated the road was flooded, and the California Highway Patrol has reiterated warnings for citizens to "never cross flooded roadways for any reason."
Further south, Los Angeles experienced extraordinary rainfall, with downtown receiving more precipitation in two days than typically falls during the entire month of November. Flash flood warnings were issued for areas affected by recent wildfires, though these have since expired.
The National Weather Service Los Angeles office reported that while rain intensity was decreasing on Saturday afternoon, the potential remained for "convective showers and thunderstorms" that could produce localized flooding and debris flow issues.
Mountain regions face additional challenges, with winter weather advisories in effect for Western Plumas County, Lassen Park, and the West Slope of the Sierras above 6000 feet. Forecasters predict snow accumulations of 4 to 10 inches, with 1 to 2 feet possible at the highest peaks, creating potentially "very difficult" travel conditions that could impact commutes.
Ocean conditions along the Central Coast, where rescuers continue searching for the missing child, are expected to deteriorate further. The National Weather Service predicts "strong to near gale force northerly winds" Sunday night, quickly building very rough seas by Monday morning.
