One man is dead and another is missing as California reels from the storm’s devastating waves

Fierce storm-induced waves that collapsed part of the Santa Cruz Wharf are also being blamed for the death of a man found trapped under debris on a stretch of Monterey Bay shoreline and the disappearance of another man.

Rescue crews were called to Sunset State Beach at 11:30 a.m. Monday to assist a man who was reportedly trapped under debris amid high surf. According to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, the man was freed and taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. His identity is being kept secret until his family is notified.

According to Marina police, dangerous conditions forced authorities about 15 miles further down the coast to call off the search for a man who was washed out to sea at Marina State Beach around midday. A spokesman for the sheriff’s office said there was no connection between the two incidents.

Read more: Part of Santa Cruz pier collapses as high surf hits coastal town

Passersby at Marina State Beach reported that a man was overcome by the high surf and dragged into the ocean, police said. They couldn’t help him because of the big waves and strong current.

When first responders arrived on the beach, they did not see the missing man. They began their search about 300 meters north of Dunes Drive, where the man entered the sea.

The U.S. Coast Guard and California Highway Patrol searched by air and sea but also were unable to find the man. At 2 p.m., the search was deemed too dangerous to continue due to deteriorating weather conditions. The identity of the missing man has not been released by police.

On Monday, the National Weather Service issued a high surf warning for California’s northern coast — including Santa Cruz, Point Reyes, San Francisco and northern Monterey Bay — and urged people to stay off beaches until 6 p.m. Tuesday due to life-threatening conditions keep away.

“Large waves can sweep across the beach without warning, pulling people from rocks, jetties and beaches into the sea,” the weather service said. “Sudden immersion in cold water can result in cold water shock for even the most experienced swimmers.”

Read more: ‘Messy’ atmospheric storms in California could bring leisure travel to a halt: What to expect

The pounding surf also caused more than 100 feet (30 meters) of the Santa Cruz Wharf to collapse Monday afternoon, throwing a city employee and two contractors into the frigid sea, city officials said during a news conference.

Two of them were rescued by lifeguards on site, the third was able to get to safety on his own. Workers were sent to the pier to assess its stability, city officials said.

The heavy surf is the result of a series of atmospheric river events that are bringing heavy rain to Northern California, Oregon and Washington states.

Times staff writer Salvador Hernandez contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.