Ventura Pier Closed Indefinitely Due To High Surf Conditions

VENTURA (CBSLA.com) — The Ventura Pier remains closed until further notice after being damaged by high surf on Friday.

Around 7 a.m., officers were sent to the 60 0 block of Harbor Boulevard after receiving information that high surf conditions were causing waves to break over the pier, according to the Ventura Police Department.

Upon their arrival, authorities confirmed the waves had possibly caused some damage to the structure of the pier. At this time, the extent of damage done to the pier remains unclear.

"The few citizens that were on the pier were evacuated and the pier was closed to the public," explained Sgt. Sarah Starr. "The pier will remain closed, indefinitely, while the conditions remain dangerous and the damage is being assessed."

Pieces of of the pier had snapped off and washed ashore, according to CBS2/KCAL9's Jeff Nguyen.

Police also urged residents to use caution along the beach and discouraged swimmers and surfers from entering the ocean during high surf conditions.

Ventura residents Kayla Arnold and Parker Jellison told Nguyen they were standing at the end of the pier when it first began to give way.

"We heard a crack and Parker is like 'We should just get off right now,"" said Arnold. "Even though we were on the land part, it was still scary. You could see pieces floating off and breaking off."

Two surfers, a man and a woman in their 20s, had to be rescued from the water at Mondos Beach. The woman was rescued by a passersby, while the man got stuck between breaking waves and onshore rocks and had to be pulled out by county rescue swimmers.

The high surf was also affecting traffic on land: Harbor Boulevard was closed from California Street to Sanjon Road due to ocean water, Nguyen reported.

According to the National Weather Service, a high surf advisory will remain in effect through Saturday morning.

The same storm that brought high surf to the coast also whipped up strong gusts and snow, making for dangerous driving on the Grapevine. CBS2/KCAL9's Tom Wait reports.