Search for missing 5-year-old swept into Pacific Ocean continues as southern California braces for devastating rain

Saturday — A frantic search is under way for a 5-year-old girl last seen Friday after being swept into the Pacific Ocean at Garrapata State Beach in Monterey County; her father drowned while trying to rescue her. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Coast Guard and multiple local agencies resumed search operations Saturday morning after the man, pulled from the surf by a lifeguard, was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Southern California, meanwhile, is preparing for an unusually strong Pacific storm, enhanced by an atmospheric river, that forecasters say could produce heavy rain, high seas and life-threatening flooding through the weekend.

Key Takeaways

• The girl was swept from Garrapata State Beach (Monterey County) around 12:50 p.m. Friday; waves at the time were reported at about 15 to 20 feet.
• The child’s father entered the water to try to save her, was removed by a lifeguard and later died at a local hospital.
• Search-and-rescue activity resumed Saturday morning involving the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies; the child was last seen wearing a white shirt.
• Roughly 23 million people in Southern California remain under flood watches, including San Diego, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties.
• The National Weather Service warns of widespread rain, with rates up to about 1 inch per hour and seas up to 15 feet; isolated thunderstorms and flash flooding are possible.
• A Flash Flood Warning was in effect until 12:00 p.m. PT Saturday for the Palisades and Franklin fire burn scars where life-threatening flooding may occur.
• Rain totals are forecast generally 2–3 inches through Saturday night, with pockets up to 6 inches; Southern Sierra mountains may see up to a foot of snow above 7,000 feet.
• More rounds of precipitation are expected to affect northern and central California late Sunday into Monday, with additional returns to southern California Monday.

Background

Garrapata State Beach, on the central California coast south of Carmel, is known for powerful winter swells and rip currents. Lifesaving agencies regularly warn visitors to respect posted warnings, but sudden high surf and unexpected sneaker waves can make shoreline rescues perilous. Monterey County has responded to multiple surf-related incidents in recent years during strong Pacific storms, highlighting the persistent hazard to beachgoers near rocky shorelines and steep drop-offs.

At the same time, California’s late-fall and winter weather patterns can bring atmospheric rivers—narrow corridors of concentrated moisture—which significantly amplify rainfall totals and coastal wave energy. When these systems coincide with steep terrain and recent wildfire burn scars, the risk for flash floods, debris flows and rapid river rises increases. Local governments, emergency managers and utilities in the region have protocols for evacuations, road closures and power outages to reduce harm during such events.

Main Event

According to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, the incident unfolded about 12:50 p.m. Friday when the 5-year-old was pulled from shore by large waves estimated at 15 to 20 feet. The child’s father entered the water in an attempt to reach her; a lifeguard later recovered him, and he was transported to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. Search teams worked through Friday evening and resumed early Saturday, deploying both land and marine units as conditions allowed.

Agencies involved in the response include the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Coast Guard; additional local fire and lifeguard units have assisted. Officials reported the child was last seen wearing a white shirt, and search coordinators asked anyone with information to contact authorities immediately. Weather and sea conditions have hampered some operations: high surf and the incoming storm increase risk to responders and limit the use of small craft.

Meanwhile, far to the south, a separate but overlapping regional emergency unfolded as a strong Pacific storm with added moisture from an atmospheric river moved across Southern California. The National Weather Service flagged an “unusually strong storm system” producing heavy rain, mountain snow and high surf from the coast to the Sierra Nevada. Local authorities in Los Angeles and neighboring counties issued flood watches and, in some cases, evacuation orders for vulnerable properties near burn scars.

Analysis & Implications

The combined circumstances—an ongoing coastal search and a major weather event—present layered operational challenges. Search-and-rescue teams must balance an urgent humanitarian response with responder safety amid forecast high surf and rain. Agencies typically adjust tactics under these conditions, shifting from boat-based searches to aerial assets or shoreline sweeps when seas permit.

For Southern California, the atmospheric river raises the probability of rapid-onset flooding, especially over recent burn scars where soils are hydrophobic and unable to absorb heavy rainfall. That dynamic increases the chance of debris flows that can devastate homes and infrastructure at lower elevations. Emergency managers have limited windows to move residents from high-risk zones before heavy rain begins.

Economically and logistically, the storm can disrupt transportation, toppling trees and bringing down power lines; more than 30,000 utility customers were reported without power Saturday morning, which complicates communications, pumping operations and sheltering. If the forecast pockets of 4–6 inches materialize in urban basins, localized urban flooding and transit interruptions could occur, stretching local emergency resources.

Comparison & Data

The table above highlights the immediate numerical context: high surf recorded near the Monterey incident, widespread flood watches covering millions of residents in Southern California, and storm totals that can vary sharply with local topography and burn-scar exposure. These figures help explain why both coastal search operations and inland flood preparations were active simultaneously.

Reactions & Quotes

Officials and local leaders publicly urged caution and compliance with emergency guidance as conditions deteriorated.

“Heavy rain is incoming starting within the hour, with an increasing risk of dangerous flooding, especially for LA County.”

National Weather Service, Los Angeles Field Office

The NWS warning framed specific behavioral guidance for residents and motorists ahead of the storm’s heaviest bands.

“If you have been contacted by the Los Angeles Police Department at an impacted property, please, please, heed official guidance.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass

The mayor’s statement accompanied activation of the city’s emergency operations center and targeted evacuation orders for properties near burn scars. Public reaction on social media and local community feeds reflected concern over both the missing child and the broader storm impacts, with neighbors sharing evacuation information and shelter locations.

Unconfirmed

• Current condition and location of the 5-year-old have not been confirmed publicly beyond the last reported sighting; official agencies continue active search efforts.
• Whether storm-driven seas directly affected the initial rescue timeline or subsequent search tactics has not been fully clarified by responding agencies.

Bottom Line

The immediate humanitarian priority is the ongoing search for the missing 5-year-old and support for the family after the death of the child’s father, while operational responders manage a hazardous coastal and meteorological environment. High surf and an active atmospheric river complicate rescue work and simultaneously force inland and coastal communities to prepare for flooding and debris flows.

Residents in affected counties should follow official evacuation orders, avoid flooded roads and monitor local emergency channels. Over the coming 48 hours, agencies will need to balance life-saving search operations with responder safety, and the broader storm impacts may unfold in stages as the system shifts inland and the Pacific pattern remains active.

Sources

• NBC News — news report summarizing the incident and regional forecast
• National Weather Service, Los Angeles Field Office — official forecast and flash-flood guidance (agency)
• National Hurricane Center, Tropical Analysis & Forecast Branch — marine analysis and cold-front imagery (agency)
• PowerOutage.US — real-time utility outage data aggregator (private data)
• Monterey County Sheriff’s Office — local law enforcement incident information (official)