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Devastating Images of Monterey County After the Pajaro River Levee Break

Written by Sophie BearmanPublished Mar. 13, 2023 • 11:15am
An aerial photograph shows a trash-filled car engulfed in floodwaters in Pajaro, California on Saturday, March 11, 2023. Residents were forced to evacuate in the middle of the night after an atmospheric river surge broke the the Pajaro Levee and sent flood waters flowing into the community. | Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images

Flooded roads and homes. Stranded cars. Evacuations. The deployment of the California National Guard.

These are some of the scenes from Monterey County this weekend and Monday, following an atmospheric river surge on Saturday that broke a Pajaro River levee and sent flood waters rushing into communities as far north as Watsonville and as far south as San Ardo.

Today, schools are closed and communities are reeling. Meanwhile, another atmospheric river is forecast to hit California on Tuesday.

Emergency Information for Monterey County, including an up-to-date evacuation map, can be found here.

An aerial photograph shows vehicles and homes in floodwaters in Pajaro, California, on Saturday, March 11, 2023. Residents had to evacuate overnight. | Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
Rocio Morando, left, holds her son David Morando, 3, in front of their home in Monterey County on Sunday, March 12, 2023. | Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group/AP Photo
An aerial photograph shows two individuals standing in a small patch of road emerging from floodwaters in Pajaro, California, on Saturday, March 11, 2023. | Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
Lizbeth Hernandez (center right) is rescued from Casserly Creek after flood waters carried her truck off of Paulsen Road in Watsonville, Calif. on Friday, March 10, 2023. Hernandez, who does not swim, stood on the roof of her submerged truck for over an hour until State Park swift water technicians could reach her and paddle her to safety. | Shmuel Thaler/The Santa Cruz Sentinel/AP Photo
An aerial photograph shows vehicles and homes engulfed by floodwaters in Pajaro, California, on Saturday, March 11, 2023. | Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
People ride bicycles through floodwaters in Watsonville, California, on Saturday, March 11, 2023. | Nic Coury/AP Photo
An aerial photograph shows homes and cars engulfed by floodwaters in Pajaro, California, on Saturday, March 11, 2023. | Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
An aerial photograph shows cars and homes engulfed by floodwaters in Pajaro, California, on Saturday, March 11, 2023. | Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
An aerial view shows people making their way around a flooded neighborhood in the unincorporated community of Pajaro in Watsonville, California, on March 11, 2023. | Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
The California National Guard supports local first responders in rescue operations due to flooding in Monterey County, California, on March 11, 2023. | Courtesy the 1-184 Infantry Regiment/California National Guard

Sophie Bearman can be reached at [email protected]

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