Northern California Ravaged by More Extreme Flooding
Some parts of California have gotten no relief from the recent onslaught of heavy storms this winter. Where snow and heavy rain pelted areas in the northern part of the state last week, more rain wreaked havoc in the eastern county of Tuolumne on Wednesday.
Wednesday's thunderstorm left several roads in both Tuolumne and Sonoma counties flooded. In some instances, runoff water rushed across roadways, making driving perilous. The emergency dispatch system in Tuolumne County was also down, making reports of flooded homes and calls for assistance difficult.
Many routes through Tuolumne County, east of San Francisco and southeast of Sacramento, have either been closed or drivers have been advised to proceed with caution, according to CBS 13 in Sacramento.
The phone lines for the Tuolumne County Sheriff dispatch center and for the Sonora police department are also down, possibly due to the flooding and rain. https://t.co/JD63KNoMRg pic.twitter.com/5ZuJBqC6F7
— CBS Sacramento CBS13 (@CBSSacramento) March 7, 2019
Earlier on Wednesday, the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Department gave instructions through its Facebook page, telling residents that sand was available for sandbags, but folks needed "to bring your own bags and shovels.
"At this time, you can expect flooding on Jamestown Rd, Stockton Road, Kewin Mill, and many, many others. Debris and boulders have closed Lyons Bald Mountain Road.
"Some roads are flooded, but not closed yet, please do not cross a flooded road way! It takes just inches of water to move a car.
If you are in need of sand for sandbags:
BRING YOUR OWN BAGS AND SHOVELS
Road Dept – Tuolumne Yard
18870 Birch St - Tuolumne
Road Dept – Jamestown Yard
18188 7th St - Jamestown
Road Dept – Columbia
Columbia Airport
Road Dept – Groveland Yard
11240 Wards Ferry Rd – Big Oak Flat"
It wasn't too long ago that drought and wildfires tore through the state, and now mudslides and floods have made the region nestled close to Yosemite National Park just as dangerous.
Just last week, the system that brought ravaging rain to the coast in Sonoma County also dumped heavy snow in Northern California, which left 35,000 homes and businesses without power, interstate closures near the Nevada state line and record rainfall in some places.
Some of the heavier precipitation fell on the western-facing slope of the northern Sierra Nevada.
