The pier is an economic driver for Santa Cruz, drawing two millions visitor each year, while the wharf’s 20 restaurants and shops employ around 400 people, according to the city.

The Wharf, a public pier, is home to several restaurants in Santa Cruz, about 70 miles south of San Francisco. The pier was evacuated and closed to all emergency responders just after 1 p.m.

A person takes a photo of high surf near the Santa Cruz Wharf in Santa Cruz, Calif., Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury) Spectators look out at a closed Santa Cruz wharf after the pier ...

TOPSHOT - People look at the collapsed pier at the Santa Cruz Wharf in Santa Cruz, California, on December 23, 2024. A pier collapsed into the ocean and floated away off the US state of California ...

Santa Cruz Wharf and harbor both face major storm repairs 03:44. The clean-up effort along the Santa Cruz coastline continued Friday, days after part of the Santa Cruz Wharf collapsed due to ...

A portion of the Santa Cruz pier in California collapses Two people were rescued and transported to a local hospital, and a third made their way to safety on their own. Dec. 23, 2024, 8:41 PM EST ...