(Trends Wide) — Another atmospheric river makes its way into storm-battered California, where residents still face flooded highways, collapsed bridges, overflowing rivers, inundated neighborhoods and a breached levee that forced hundreds to evacuate.
The new storm is expected to hit the state on Monday, bringing heavy rain, snow to mountains and threatening even more flooding in northern and central California just as the first atmospheric river subsides, according to the National Metereological Service.
Atmospheric rivers consist of long, narrow bands of moisture that carry warm air and water vapor from the tropics.
About 15 million people remain under flood watch in California and Nevada as the storm approached early Sunday.
More flooding could create a dire situation in some neighborhoods, where torrential rains in recent days have turned streets into rivers and damaged highways, stranding people and prompting numerous rescues. At least two people have died as a result of the storms, authorities said.
This aerial photo shows cars and homes submerged by floodwaters in Pajaro, California, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
Among the hardest-hit areas is Monterey County, where rising Pajaro River breached a levee around midnight Friday, sending uncontrolled gushing water into the nearby community of Pajaro and forcing residents to flee, the ” worst case scenario” for the community, said Luis Alejo, president of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors.
Some people were unable to evacuate before floodwaters arrived and crews were executing high-water rescues Saturday, Cal Fire Capt. Curtis Rhodes told Trends Wide.
Many Pajaro residents are farm workers who may not only lose their property but also be unable to earn a living for some time if continued flooding affects agriculture, Alejo told Trends Wide.
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“These are the people who can least afford this type of difficulty,” Alejo said.
As residents crowd emergency shelters, efforts to stop flooding from the breach are complicated by the approach of the second atmospheric river.
“This weekend is a very brief respite,” said David King of the National Weather Service. “The weather will change, it is expected on Monday night.”
Mandatory Evacuation orders issued for the Community of #Bird due to a #LeveeBreak. Please heed evac warnings/orders. Pajaro River levee broke early this morning resulting in active flooding. #Evacuate if told. #TurnAroundDontDrown @Cal_OES @CaltransHQ @CAgovernor pic.twitter.com/tDttiTcaC0
— California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (@Cal_OES) March 11, 2023
While eyes were on the Pajaro River, the Salinas River to the south was also flooding its banks, causing more evacuation orders in Monterey County. The rising water from the river had already inundated homes and businesses around the community of San Ardo.
Emergency crews have rescued more than 90 people in Monterey County, according to Sheriff Tina Nieto. “We even rescued a man who was floating in one of the areas in a tube with his pet on top of him,” she added.
To the north, as heavy rains hit Santa Cruz County Friday, some 700 Soquel residents were trapped after a pipeline failed, unleashing severe flooding and the collapse of the only highway linking the community to the rest of the county. the region, according to Steve Wiesner, deputy director of public works for the county. Residents will remain in isolation until a new crossing can be created, which could take days, Wiesner said.
“Now we are an island,” resident Molly Watson told Trends Wide.
Another hard-hit area was Tulare County, where evacuation orders were expanded to include the community of Teviston, as well as parts of Cutler and Exeter as the river’s flow increased, the county sheriff’s office announced late Friday. . Authorities urged residents to stay away from waterways and avoid all unnecessary travel.
Video from Springville in Tulare County showed devastating damage after severe flooding on Friday.
“It’s pretty heartbreaking,” Hatti Shepard told Trends Wide. “Many displaced workers lost their homes and possessions.”
Both sides of Highway 99 closed due to flooding in Earlimart, Tulare County on March 11, 2023.
Newly atmospheric rivers, which can carry moisture thousands of miles like a fire hose, are the latest to hit the state after a spate of similar storms in December and January that also brought deadly flooding.
However, the impacts of the current storms are compounded by the fact that heavy rains are now impacting areas already engulfed by the heavy snowfall of the past two weeks. Melting snowpack will play a role in prolonging flooding in the coming days, forecasters said.
US President Joe Biden approved a declaration of a state of emergency requested by Governor Gavin Newsom. The measure frees up funds for the millions of residents who have been affected by severe weather since the beginning of the year.
Caltrans crews continue to respond today to areas of instability on Highway 1 caused by recent rains. These images were taken today from Mill Creek at post mile 18 in Monterey County. #Hwy1 #BigSur #MontereyCounty pic.twitter.com/ej67aKTi3P
— Caltrans District 5 (@CaltransD5) March 11, 2023
Meanwhile, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo has expanded the state of emergency to include additional counties due to flooding associated with the same storm.
“As this severe weather continues to affect more Northern Nevadans, I again urge all residents to stay safe, travel safely, and follow all local guidelines. State and federal partners will continue to monitor local damage and work quickly to assess necessary repairs in northern Nevada,” Lombardo said in a statement.
Trends Wide Meteorologist Haley Brink and Mike Valerio, Trends Wide’s Aya Elamroussi, Andy Rose, Sharif Paget, Melissa Alonso and Jillian Sykes contributed to this report.
