Spectators At Northern California Surfing Contest Hurt By Waves

February 15th, 2010 - 8:57 pm ICT by GD  

By Gina Gomez
surfCalifornia, Feb 15, (THAINDIAN NEWS) The spectators who were watching a Northern California surfing contest on Saturday morning were swept away by two huge waves. The spectators fell on the rocky beaches and got injured.

According to reports 13 people were injured, two of them suffered serious injuries and were immediately taken to hospitals. The rest of them who suffered minor injuries were being treated at the beach as reported by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Battalion Chief, Scott Jalbert. He said some of them had fractured their legs and hands.

According to witnesses, the wave swept away a large scaffold which was holding the speakers that broadcast the Mavericks Surf Contest. Pamela Massette of Corte Madera was badly injured. She said, “It just came out of nowhere and wiped us all out.” Pamela Massette’s left hand and left knee was injured and bleeding. She got completely drenched and had to rush home just a few minutes after she arrived to watch the surfing contest. Among the injured was a man called Brandon Snider. He said everyone was watching the contest with full concentration when a huge wave of 5 foot or 6 foot wiped the entire seawall.

It is reported that though a large number of people were injured, none was swept into the water fortunately. However, the rocky beaches had wounded many. The contest is not held every year. It is only held when the weather conditions are favorable. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Battalion Chief, Scott Jalbert estimated there were hundreds of people on the seawall when the waves struck.

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