Evacuations Are Ordered In California As A Massive Storm Slams Into Coast
The northern California coast is getting hit by heavy rain and strong winds, and forecasters say more flooding and mudslides are likely. So, evacuations are ordered in California as a massive storm slams into coast.
A bomb cyclone, a powerful storm system, has killed at least two people, including a toddler who died when a redwood tree fell on his home.
California has been declared a state of emergency. Over 160,000 homes and businesses have been left without power. According to officials, the rain is falling on already saturated ground.
Many parts of the state have been hit by "atmospheric rivers," which are airborne currents that carry dense moisture from the ocean, bringing heavy rain to low-lying areas, strong winds to San Francisco, and snow to the Sierra Nevada mountains.
The National Weather Service says that California will continue to be affected by atmospheric river conditions until Thursday (Jan 5). This will cause "heavy to excessive rainfall, flooding with debris flows and landslides near recent burn scar areas, heavy mountain snow, and high winds."
Evacuations are ordered in California as a massive storm slams into coast. In some parts of northern California, people were being told to leave, and people's lives and property were in danger, especially in the San Francisco and Sacramento areas.
According to reports, a 19-year-old womandied in a nearby county after her car slid on a flooded road and crashed into a light pole.
Bars and restaurants in San Francisco and surrounding communities were closed as officials warned people not to drive. Over 100 flights have been cancelled at San Francisco International Airport.
Tidal surges are expected to cause widespread flooding in rivers along the coast. The storm is expected to dump up to 6 inches (15 cm) of rain in coastal areas and gust up to 80 miles per hour (128 km/h) in coastal hills and mountains.
Rain and winds are expected to subside before increasing again over the weekend and into next week. An evacuation order has been issued in Santa Cruz County, south of San Francisco, due to the "high probability" that flooding will make some neighbourhoods inaccessible.
Conclusion
Evacuations are ordered in California as a massive storm slams into coast. Officials in Santa Barbara County, further south, have also ordered residents living near burn scars from previous forest fires to leave the area.
The order has an impact on the affluent community of Montecito, which is home to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, as well as Oprah Winfrey.
Classes have been cancelled in school districts across northern California, including for 8,000 students in south San Francisco public schools. The city of San Jose, in the heart of Silicon Valley, also reported a mudslide.