Military ‘practice bomb’ from the ’60s found on New Year’s Eve on California beach

A corroded bomb believed to be over a half-century old washed up on a California beach during a storm and was found on New Year’s Eve, Santa Cruz authorities said.

The ordnance, which washed up in the small beach town of Pajaro Dunes, was deemed inert by the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office bomb team.

The sheriff’s office said on Facebook that it is believed to be a “practice bomb” used by the U.S. military in the 1960s, which washed up or was uncovered by the powerful surf and strength of the waves last week.

Pajaro Dunes is along the Monterey Bay coastline, which was hit with high surf Thursday, causing flooding in low-lying areas of the California coastline and waves of up to 40 feet in others. Santa Cruz County issued warnings for people in several coastal areas to be ready to evacuate.

In Ventura County, which is south of Santa Cruz, a video shows people fleeing a wave that broke over a sea wall, sweeping cars and debris through the streets.

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