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Northern California Community Evacuates After Levee Breach

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A Northern California community was forced to evacuate after flood waters breached a levee early Saturday as storms continued to pound the state.

More than 8,500 people were under evacuation orders March 11 after storms ripped across Central Coast’s Monterey County, according to The Associated Press (AP). Though police officials went door-to-door, urging citizens to leave March 10, some stayed behind only to be rescued the following day when the floodwaters breached a 100-foot wide levee of the Pajaro River. (RELATED: 38 Million Americans Facing ‘Extreme’ Risk Of Flash Flooding In California)

Officials had reportedly been working overnight to strengthen the levee when it was breached just after midnight on Saturday morning, forcing more than 1,700 residents of Pajaro out of their homes. Though crews have been working to repair the damage, Luis Alejo, chair of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors stated the repairs in and around the flooded community will take months.

“We were hoping to avoid and prevent this situation, but the worst case scenario has arrived with the Pajaro River overtopping and levee breaching at about midnight,”Alejo wrote on Twitter.

“I thank all our 1st responders & county staff for helping our residents evacuate in an orderly fashion & helping residents relocate to our shelters…” Alejo added in another tweet. 

Video posted on twitter showed a member of the California National Guard assisting a driver out of a car submerged in waist-deep water – one of fifty such rescues made by first responders since the levee breach, the AP reported.

“We are closely monitoring the situation in Pajaro. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted and the state has mobilized to support the community,” Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office tweeted.