Eight people died when a surprise storm caused dangerous waves on the lake along the California-Nevada border, upending boats and tossing passengers into the frigid water.

Josh Pickles, 37, of San Francisco, his parents, 73-year-old Terry Pickles and 71-year-old Paula Bozinovich of Redwood City, and his uncle, 72-year-old Peter Bayes, of Lincoln, died Saturday, according to a family statement.

It seemed that within minutes on Saturday that everything changed. A storm moved in, sending tents and canopies flying. White-capped water and 8ft (2.5m) swells caused multiple boats to capsize, including a 27ft vessel filled with tourists.