Christmas Eve turned into a night of relief and joy for one Southern California family, thanks to the quick work of the California Highway Patrol. Dec. 24, 2024. (KNN)

Persistent high surf and flooding threats along California's coast have residents on high alert a day after a major storm was blamed for one man's death and the partial collapse of a pier.

One man died and three people were thrown into the ocean after California's coast faced powerful waves and flooding Tuesday. This followed a major storm that caused widespread damage and left several people missing.