California’s 11th river storm causes landslides, flooding
LOS ANGELES — Southern California residents weary of a stormsoaked winter were hit Wednesday by parting shots from the season’s 11th atmospheric river, which flooded roadways, caused landslides and toppled trees throughout the state.
Water pooled on roadways, rocks and mud littered others, and there were reports of potholes that disabled numerous cars. Flooding closed several miles of Pacific Coast Highway through Huntington Beach, south of Los Angeles on the Orange County coast.
Statewide, more than 168,000 utility customers remained without power early Wednesday, according to poweroutage.us.
Remaining showers across Southern California were expected to decrease through Wednesday evening as the storm headed toward parts of the Great Basin. The weather service
said California will see minor precipitation this weekend, followed by another substantial storm next week.
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued emergency declarations for three more counties Tuesday, raising the total to 43 of the state’s 58 counties.
Despite California’s rains winding down, flood warnings remain in effect on the central coast for the Salinas and Pajaro rivers in Monterey County and other rivers in the Central Valley as water runs off
land that has been saturated since late December.
Runoff from a powerful atmospheric river last week burst a levee on the Pajaro River, triggering evacuations as water flooded farmland and agricultural communities. Nearly half of the people under evacuation orders were in Monterey County.
The first phase of repairs on the 400-foot levee breach was completed Tuesday, and crews were working to raise the section to full height, county officials said.