California Flood Warning: More Towns Ordered To Evacuate Over Intense Rains

Authorities have ordered residents in northern California to evacuate as flooding continues to threaten communities after a powerful storm brought intense rainfall over the region.

On Sunday, Sacramento County officials issued an evacuation order for residents living in the low-lying communities of Point Pleasant, Glanville Tract and Franklin Pond, warning of imminent flooding, CBS News reported.

"Prepare to leave the area now before roadways are cut off to evacuate the area," the Sacramento County Office of Emergency Services said via Twitter.

"It is expected that the flooding from the Cosumnes River and the Mokelumne River is moving southwest toward I-5 and could reach these areas in the middle of the night," it continued. "Livestock in the affected areas should be moved to higher ground."

Authorities also issued a flash flood warning for the town of Wilton Saturday night due to "an imminent levee failure in that area on the Cosumnes River" and advised residents to "seek higher ground immediately," SFGate reported.

Officials confirmed Sunday morning that at least two levees have been breached, KCRA reported.

A flash flood watch remained in effect for southern Sacramento County as of Sunday.

Sacramento authorities opened evacuation centers at the Wackford Community Center and Sam & Bonnie Pannell Community Center to shelter individuals who would be affected by the flooding.

One person in southern Sacramento County was found dead Saturday inside a completely submerged vehicle along Dillard Road, according to the Cosumnes Fire Department.

The vehicle was discovered by a fire department helicopter after two levees along the Cosumnes River were destroyed by floods.

Other vehicles were also stranded on Highway 99 in Sacramento County after roads were submerged in floodwaters, according to KCRA.

Chris Schamber, the Cosumnes Fire Department captain, said that "dozens upon dozens" of motorists needed rescue Saturday as floods inundated the highway.

The stormy weather has also toppled power lines and trees, causing power interruptions for the 43,000 customers of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.

The county has already declared a winter storm state of emergency to address the damages brought by flooding.

"Sacramento County has been experiencing an atmospheric river that began Dec. 31, 2022, and thus far has resulted in significant transportation impacts, rising creek and river levels and flooding in Wilton," the county emergency proclamation said.

Karla Nemeth, the director of the California Department of Water Resources, said the severe weather brought a "Goldilocks situation" for the state, as California desperately needs winter rain to replenish its water supplies, the New York Times reported.

The National Weather Service in Sacramento warned that storms could bring a total of 4 to 6 inches of rain over the Sacramento region this week.

The severe weather was caused by an atmospheric river storm pulling a long and wide plume of moisture from the Pacific Ocean.