People look at the collapsed pier at the Santa Cruz Wharf in Santa Cruz, California, on December 23, 2024. A pier collapsed into the ocean and floated away off the US state of California on Monday, weather authorities said, as the region was pounded by a powerful storm. Lifeguards rescued two people after the structure in Santa Cruz broke free, firefighters said, while a third person managed to get themselves out of trouble. (Photo by Daniel Dreifuss / AFP)