LINCOLN CITY, Ore. (KOIN) — The powerful and destructive waves on Thursday left behind a mess along the Oregon Coast. Lincoln City was among the worst hit with damage costing businesses around $1 million.
A single wave pummeled through the Sea Gypsy rentals, causing major damage to 5 units.
“All of a sudden I looked up and saw people running toward me,” reservation manager Kimberly Hitchcock said. “I kind of just took off running myself. We got out of the way.”
She said doors were ripped from their frames and water flooded the units.
Next door, Kyllo’s Restaurant had to evacuate when a gas line broke.
“One little piece of gas line,” owner Craig Kyllo said. “They fixed it in 15 minutes. That was it.”
Kyllo said plumbing was also affected but he thinks it can be fixed and he wants to reopen soon.
“Pretty much everyone I talked to, no one was seen anything like this for 50 years,” he said. ” So we hope this is it.”
North Lincoln Fire and Rescue said it’s been a busy 24 hours but they’re relieved no one was seriously hurt in Lincoln City.
“Storm watching is a wonderful thing,” Jim Kusz said. “It’s really one of those things a lot of people like to do and see the whales and everything, but when the seas are like this and they’re often like this this time of year, stay off the beaches.”
A man is presumed dead after being swept out to sea in Depoe Bay Thursday morning. Witnesses said he went over the sea wall to look at the ocean and a wave dragged him away. Crews searched all day but did not find him.