CaliforniaCommentaryEmergencies and accidentsFeaturedNatureSafetyVideo

Watch: Rogue Wave Slams US Beach

We need never live in fear, but humility and a healthy respect for nature would go a long way.

A 92-second video posted Thursday to X showed the moment a massive rogue wave slammed into shore in Ventura, California, causing beachgoers to flee inland for safety while some foolishly stood gawking at the onrushing waters.

Colin Hoag shot the video on his phone while standing near the beach, according to KTLA-TV.

When the wave crashed into and over a small barricade, Hoag took flight, though he kept recording. A half-dozen other onlookers also fled in fear.

Hoag did not stop running for more than 30 seconds. By the time he paused, he had barely outrun the wave.

Trending:

Biden Admin Puts Largest Christian University in US In Its Crosshairs After Already Massive Fine

Meanwhile, the water kept coming. For some reason, however, people stood and watched on the sidewalk.

Those who wish to view the video may do so below:

WARNING: The following video contains language that some viewers will find offensive.

“It was horrific,” Hoag later told KTLA. “There was a lot of screaming, a lot of yelling. I didn’t know how far [the wave] would go. I thought, ‘This is a tsunami.’”

No deaths occurred, but several people suffered serious injuries, including two who remained in critical condition at the hospital as of Thursday night.

Officials had warned coastal residents of heightened risks due to ocean conditions.

Thus, Andy VanSciver of the Ventura County Fire Department found Hoag’s video instructive.

Related:

Devastating Highway Tragedy Leaves 9-Month-Old Boy Orphaned

“I think a lot of lessons were learned today when you look at that video,” VanSciver said, according to KTLA. “The importance of heeding the warnings about giving the ocean some respect.”

The VCFD posted a shorter but no less dramatic video of the wave’s impact on X, encouraging people in Ventura to avoid the ocean.

On Friday, KCAL-TV reported 4 to 5 inches of sand in hotel rooms near the beach.

While comparatively minuscule, the Ventura rogue wave occurred 19 years — nearly to the day — after the deadliest tsunami in recorded history.

On Dec. 26, 2004, a gargantuan earthquake struck 18.6 miles beneath the Indian Ocean floor. It caused a plate rupture roughly the length of California, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The resulting tsunami killed an estimated 227,899 people in Indonesia and across the Indian Ocean rim.

Thus, when Hoag thought to himself, “This is a tsunami,” he had ample cause for extreme alarm.

In terms of danger and damage, of course, Thursday’s swell does not compare to historic underwater earthquakes. On the other hand, disasters strike without warning.

It is always best, therefore, to heed the warnings we do have and thereby respect the powerful forces that God does not permit us to control.


A Note from Our Deputy Managing Editor:

 

I walked into the office one morning and noticed something strange. Half of The Western Journal’s readership was missing.

 

It had finally happened. Facebook had flipped THE switch.

 

Maybe it was because we wrote about ivermectin. Or election integrity. Or the Jan. 6 detainees. Or ballot mules.

 

Whatever the reason, I immediately knew what to do. We had to turn to you because, frankly, we know you are the only ones we can trust.

 

Can you help? Every donation to The Western Journal goes directly to funding our team of story researchers, writers and editors who doggedly pursue the truth and expose the corrupt elites.

 

Can I count on you for a small donation? We operate on a shoestring compared to other news media companies, so I can personally promise that not a penny of your donation will be wasted.

 

If you would rather become a WJ member outright, you can do that today as well.

 

We will use every single cent to fight against the lies and corruption in high places. And as long as we have your help, we will never give up.

 

Sincerely,

Josh Manning

Deputy Managing Editor

The Western Journal

Michael Schwarz holds a Ph.D. in History and has taught at multiple colleges and universities. He has published one book and numerous essays on Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the Early U.S. Republic. He loves dogs, baseball, and freedom. After meandering spiritually through most of early adulthood, he has rediscovered his faith in midlife and is eager to continue learning about it from the great Christian thinkers.

Michael Schwarz holds a Ph.D. in History and has taught at multiple colleges and universities. He has published one book and numerous essays on Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the Early U.S. Republic. He loves dogs, baseball, and freedom. After meandering spiritually through most of early adulthood, he has rediscovered his faith in midlife and is eager to continue learning about it from the great Christian thinkers.



Source link