San Francisco's Embarcadero at risk of being destroyed by disaster

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco's Embarcadero has made a list of the most endangered landmarks in the U.S.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has put the Embarcadero on a list of the top 11 historic places that are most endangered in the U.S.

RELATED: Study shows seismic risk along Embarcadero seawall

The area is packed with restaurants, shops and of course the iconic Ferry Building.

The group says the three mile seawall is facing two major threats -- earthquakes and a rising sea level due to climate change.

They say the entire waterfront is at risk and the sea level could rise by more than five feet by the end of the century.

"We have a large population there on a given day, which makes it a concern during a disaster and how we're going to be able to care for, reach, an extract anyone who is a victim of those incidences," San Francisco Fire Department Lt. Jonathan Baxter said.

Baxter said they prepare for disasters all the time. On Wednesday, they performed drills with members of the US Marines and US Navy as part of Fleet Week.

Officials said a disaster could damage or destroy the Embarcadero's sea wall.

Baxter said if the worst does happen, they are prepared. "We have rescue watercraft in the area that train on a monthly basis. Those are similar to a sea-doo and those carry firefighters specifically trained in water rescue," Baxter said.

A spokesperson at the Port of San Francisco said they recently did a seismic study of the sea wall. She says repairs would cost $2 billion to $5 billion.