A man stranded by today乌鸦传媒檚 collapse of the White Rock pier has been rescued.

A Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopter arrived at scene just before 3:30 p.m. and transferred the man to the pierhead 乌鸦传媒� to cheers from bystanders 乌鸦传媒� where he was attended to by paramedics before being transferred to hospital.

The pier split in half shortly after 2 p.m. today, leaving one person stranded on the far end.

The storm 乌鸦传媒� with gusts of up to 100 km/h forecast for the afternoon 乌鸦传媒� has dealt the 100-year-old structure a vicious beating.

Getting ready for a helicopter rescue

乌鸦传媒� Residualimage (@residualimage)

This footage of the rescue is crazy! So happy the man is ok but so sad for our poor pier.

乌鸦传媒� South Rock Buzz (@SouthRockBuzz)

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They took out the handrailing, quickly followed by a chunk of the pier deck that continued to expand in size as the minutes passed.

Emergency crews remain on the scene.

乌鸦传媒淓very organization we can think of乌鸦传媒� was contacted for assistance with the rescue, White Rock RCMP Const. Chantal Sears told PAN.

乌鸦传媒淚 believe we reached out to the U.S. as well.

乌鸦传媒淗opefully, the rest of (the pier) is structurally sound until (help arrives.)乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淭his is a first-time event, ever,乌鸦传媒� Donnelly said of the storm乌鸦传媒檚 impact.

He said some pieces of the pier drifted as far as the city乌鸦传媒檚 namesake, as did as least one of the sailboats.

dealing with emergent situation at the pier. Marine drive will be shut down until further notice.

乌鸦传媒� White Rock RCMP (@WhiteRockRCMP)

pier is broken. Guy is trapped on other side. Boats slammed into it

乌鸦传媒� LLA (@leslie0866)

The pier continues to take a beating, as the gap increases

乌鸦传媒� Peace Arch News (@PeaceArchNews)

Lower Mainland Yacht Club skipper Jason Johnson said the club maintains six sailboats at the end of the pier, 乌鸦传媒渁ll of which it appears at this point have been destroyed.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 fortunate that no one was seriously injured out here.乌鸦传媒�

Johnson said he has 乌鸦传媒渘ever seen anything like this.乌鸦传媒�

It乌鸦传媒檚 乌鸦传媒渁 little bit surreal,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淩eminds me a little bit about the power of the ocean.乌鸦传媒�

The pier was officially opened on Nov. 14, 1914. The battering effect of storms in the decades that followed led to the addition of the breakwater in 1953.

The City of White Rock repaired and replaced damaged piles and cross-braces in April 2013; work that was deemed necessary during a 2010 inspection.

White Rock Mayor Darryl Walker said efforts are underway to secure the structure until it is safe to assess the damage.

乌鸦传媒淗oly cow, what a mess, what a devastating afternoon,乌鸦传媒� Walker told PAN just after 4:30 p.m.

Walker said Marine Drive is closed, as is Buena Vista Avenue between Oxford and Foster streets.

The city issued a news release at 3:15 p.m. Thursday advising of the pier乌鸦传媒檚 closure, along with closures of Centennial Park trails and more 乌鸦传媒渄ue to extreme weather event.乌鸦传媒�

Away from the water, a White Rock firefighter said a hydro pole near the the corner of Johnston Street and Royal Avenue was at risk of coming down. Police and firefighters were seen diverting traffic heading south.

White Rock firefighters have just told me that leaning power pole, at the corner of Royal and Johnston, could come down at any moment. Entire block of Johnston is cordoned off.

乌鸦传媒� Kat Slepian (@katslepian)

Closer to the water, a rotten egg smell near the corner of Fir Street and Victoria Avenue had residents worried about a gas leak.

Power remained on along much of Marine Drive and restaurants near the pier were packed during happy hour.

Walker said updates will continue to be posted to the city乌鸦传媒檚 website () throughout the evening and overnight.

Noting he乌鸦传媒檚 been advised of storm damage to some local homes, Walker said the city乌鸦传媒檚 emergency social service centre is up and running at Centennial Arena for anyone in need of the services.

He implored those curious about the impact to the pier, waterfront and other areas to stay away.

乌鸦传媒淭his was a very, very strong (storm) and continues to be a very strong storm. People are kind of putting themselves in danger乌鸦传媒� by attempting the visit the sites.

The pier in particular, 乌鸦传媒渨e don乌鸦传媒檛 want anybody getting close,乌鸦传媒� he said.

乌鸦传媒淪tay away, that乌鸦传媒檚 the message.乌鸦传媒�

Despite these crazy waves, and winds, I just heard some teens run by yelling 乌鸦传媒渓et乌鸦传媒檚 get out on the f***king pier乌鸦传媒� in White Rock. Needless to say: bad idea.

乌鸦传媒� Kat Slepian (@katslepian)

But despite waves continuing to crash into the visibly-wobbling pier, at least half a dozen people climbed under the barricade and walked out onto the 100-year-old structure. Some appeared to be nearly at the break in the pier, as it continued to be pummelled by strong winds.

Even after a White Rock RCMP officer headed down to escort people off the pier, a group of teens ran towards it, yelling about how 乌鸦传媒渟ick the storm乌鸦传媒� was.

Despite the damage, Walker was also adamant that the damage does not mean an end for the pier.

乌鸦传媒淢ake no mistake it will be here for another 100 years,乌鸦传媒� he said.

乌鸦传媒淲e will not lose that pier. Come hell or high water, we乌鸦传媒檒l make sure we have that pier.乌鸦传媒�

More to come乌鸦传媒�

tholmes@peacearchnews.com
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