Local residents reported that about three dozen boats were "crushed" in the harbor and that surging waters significantly damaged or destroyed most of the docks. Ocean water surging up Elk Creek north of the harbor reportedly lapped up to front doors of the community's cultural center.

Officials were warning residents to expect higher surges throughout the day, one resident said by telephone. Officials from the local sheriffls department and the city could not be reached. Crescent City, near the Oregon border, was the scene of a devastating tsunami in 1964, which killed 11 people and destroyed 289 homes and businesses.

Parts of Santa Cruz have been evacuated causing a bit of congestion along Highway 92. The coastal town's harbor has been hit hard by surging waves. The Santa Cruz Sentinel notes: