A man casually filming a day at the Oregon coast documented a terrifying moment from Mother Nature–a massive “sneaker wave” that crashed down on the beach right where he was standing.
The video comes courtesy of Steve Raplee, a business owner in Coos Bay in Southern Oregon, who was enjoying watching the surf from the safety of the sand when he glimpsed a giant wave heading his way. Everyone on the beach hightailed it to high ground as the forceful wave flooded the sand.
So-called “sneaker waves” can strike without warning, knocking people over and pulling them out to sea. They are responsible for numerous deaths. “For much of the West Coast, sneaker waves kill more people than all other weather hazards combined,” said Troy Nicolini, a forecaster with the National Weather Service office in Eureka, Calif., according to Live Science.
The videos serves as the perfect reminder that your mother was right when she told you to never turn your back on the ocean.
[H/T The Oregonian]
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Inside Elon Musk’s War on Washington
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Cecily Strong on Goober the Clown
- Column: The Rise of America’s Broligarchy
Contact us at letters@time.com