Huge Wave Sweeps Away, Injures Calif. Surfing Contest SpectatorsALF MOON BAY, Calif. — Two huge waves swept away spectators watching a Northern California surfing contest Saturday morning, causing broken bones and other injuries to people standing on a seawall.
Fifteen people had significant injuries, including broken legs and hands, authorities said. At least three of them were transported to area hospitals. Others were treated at the beach for injuries such as scrapes and bruises.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Battalion Chief Scott Jalbert estimated "a couple hundred" people were on the seawall at the southern tip of Mavericks Beach when the waves struck, upstaging the surfing competition that draws some of the world's top surfers.
"Nobody was swept away into the water. They were just swept onto the beach area pretty hard," Jalbert said. "It's pretty rocky. We've cleared the beach area so this doesn't happen again."
The waves knocked out barricades, a spectator platform and a large scaffold holding speakers broadcasting the Mavericks Surf Contest, held in this tiny harbor town 25 miles south of San Francisco along Highway 1.
The National Weather Service posted a high surf warning until 10 p.m. Saturday — after the unexpected large waves swept in during high tide. The weather service had previously posted a less severe high surf advisory.
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