Cleanup is underway in the wake of the tsunami that hit the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor on Friday. According to the Coast Guard, 18 boats sank during the surge, and the harbor suffered about $17 million in damages. As a result of the damage, no vessels are allowed entry into the harbor without the explicit permission of the Coast Guard. There is, as yet, no estimate as to when the harbor will be open to normal traffic. Crews are expected to remain on site through the end of the week.
One of the primary concerns facing the authorities is the pollution caused by the damage, especially the sunken boats. Four of the boats have already been raised, and a triage of sorts is being conducted to determine which of the remaining boats present the greatest threat due to leaked oil and other pollutants. One of the problems is that not all of the boats have been located yet. The Army Corps of Engineers is planning a sonar sweep to locate the missing vessels.
While sunken boats pose the greatest problem so far, about 100 other boats sustained damage of various levels, from broken masts to smashed hulls and rudders. Many of these boats serve as homes to their owners. Read more at ABC 7 and Santa Cruz Sentinel.
