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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Guardian staff and agencies

‘We love our piers’: storms and rising seas threaten California’s coastal landmarks

In the top half of the frame, a white wooden fence alongside a pier dips grievously toward pilings and seals on platforms above the ocean below.
Sea lions rest below a damaged portion of the Santa Cruz wharf in Santa Cruz, California, on 12 January 2024. Photograph: Jeff Chiu/AP

More storms, rising seas and huge waves are taking their toll on California’s iconic piers that have dotted the Pacific coast since the Gold Rush, posing the biggest threat yet to the beach landmarks that have become a quintessential part of the landscape.

At least a half-dozen public piers are closed after being damaged repeatedly by storms, with multiple atmospheric river storms hitting the state over the past year. Repair costs have climbed into the millions of dollars.

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