City of Ventura declares local state of emergency due to high surf conditions
VENTURA, Calif. – The City of Ventura has officially declared a local state of emergency due to 'severe high surf events' which allows the City to seek emergency funding from the state and speed up disaster response efforts.
The City Council ratified the local state of emergency on Jan. 9, 2024, and it will remain in effect for the next 60 days stated the City of Ventura.
For real-time updates and information on emergency responses in Ventura, you can visit this webpage as well as sign up for critical incident notifications here.
In the event of an emergency, call 9-1-1.
"With recent damages to our iconic and historic pier, Ventura faced repair needs and additional cleanup costs caused by recent high tide events," explained Ventura Mayor Joe Schroeder. "The declaration of a local state of emergency enables us to seek essential emergency funding, expedite recovery endeavors to swiftly address damage, hasten repairs, and ensure the prompt restoration of our City's infrastructure."
During high surf conditions that coincided with winter storms in late December, the City of Ventura details that the Ventura City Fire Department alone had 38 Ocean Unit responses and 10 Ocean Rescue calls.
One incident involving a rogue wave resulted in multiple injuries for those present.
According to the City of Ventura, the estimated costs from recent storm damage is over $1.75 million and causing even more damage to the Ventura Pier and pushing back its reopening by several months.
"Ventura City staff, in collaboration with the County of Ventura and numerous local and state agencies, worked cohesively to swiftly respond to emergency calls for help, clear debris, reopen public areas, and implement mitigation efforts along the coastline," said City Manager Bill Ayub. "We express our gratitude for their effective coordination, which played a crucial role in addressing challenges posed by coastal flooding and significant high surf."
Those high surf conditions are expected to continue in the area and there is a High Wind Warning as well as a Winter Storm Warning for Ventura County.
