Huge waves smash California beaches, injuring eight and leaving buildings flooded

Powerful waves have smashed against sea walls in California, flooding beachfront buildings and leaving eight injured.

Video from Ventura Beach, northwest of Los Angeles, shows people running away as the powerful surge hits the wall there before sweeping inland.

More footage from local CCTV shows restaurants becoming suddenly flooded.

Eight people were taken to hospital on Thursday, and the beaches remain closed in the area.

The waves are the result of a stormy Pacific Ocean, with forecasters warning conditions could continue over the New Year weekend.

‘Extremely dangerous conditions’

The National Weather Service (NWS) said waves would reach up to 40ft (12 metres) high in some places along the coast, and warned people to stay away from beaches and coastal areas and take note of the barricades.

There are also warnings not to go in the water, or use jetties and piers.

“Tremendous wave energy across the coastal waters generating EXTREMELY DANGEROUS conditions at the beaches will continue through this weekend,” the local NWS office said on social media.

“Overall, this is expected to be an exceptional high-surf and coastal flooding event that has not occurred in many years. Take caution and heed the direction of local authorities and lifeguards.”

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Meanwhile, the local public information officer for Ventura Beach posted a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, showing diggers filling in gaps left by the powerful waves.

Further north in Aptos County, the surf smashed across the beach and into the car park, leaving a trail of debris behind.

“Mother Nature’s angry,” said Eve Krammer, an Aptos resident for several years. “I mean these waves are gnarly. They’re huge.”

There is also heavy damage at Stinson Beach and Capitola, where pictures show flooding to the local town.