Evacuation alerts in California due to threat of flooding due to storm

Residents of various towns in California were awoken this Sunday morning by evacuation alerts due to the severe storm that is currently hitting the state. Forecasters are predicting that this storm will bring the largest amount of rainfall today, increasing the risk of flooding, landslides, and power outages.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Los Angeles has issued a flood watch for all areas of the metropolitan region.

Residents in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, located north of Los Angeles, have been forced to evacuate their homes due to the risk of flooding following a level 4 “high risk” alert issued due to excessive rainfall. The NWS has also warned that this storm could break “historic” records for accumulated rainfall.

Areas affected by last year’s wildfires are still on evacuation alert due to the potential for landslides. Coastal cities from the California-Mexico border to the north of San Francisco Bay need to remain vigilant and closely follow emergency service directives.

According to the NWS, “given the large amounts of rainfall expected within a short period of time, three to six-hour rainfall rates could cause problems, potentially resulting in mud and debris flows as well as rapid overflow into local rivers and streams.”

There have already been reports of power outages in the San Francisco Bay area, with one hospital’s emergency room having to close. The NWS has issued a “hurricane-force” wind warning for this region.

Warnings for strong winds, reaching up to 100 kilometers per hour, are also in effect for nearly 30 million people in inland areas across the majority of the state. The foothills and mountains, where record-breaking snowfall is anticipated, could experience wind gusts of approximately 150 kilometers per hour.