Heavy rain, high tides cause flooding along stretch of Northern California
CORTE MADERA, Calif. (AP) — Heavy rain and high tide Flooding, believed to be the worst in two decades, flooded parts of Northern California on Saturday, prompting road closures and the rescue of residents trapped in their cars.
Roads stretching 15 miles (24 kilometers) from the Sausalito area to San Rafael were flooded after a downpour that coincided with record-breaking rain. King Tides,” said Marin County Sheriff’s Sergeant Michael Dobbins.
He said no injuries were reported, but authorities were called to help when vehicles became stuck in floodwaters three to four feet (1.1 and 1.2 meters) high.
“There’s a lot of water on the roads,” Dobbins said, with tides reportedly at their highest in more than two decades. “It created the perfect storm for street flooding with heavy rains.”
Officials in communities near San Francisco asked residents to stay home wherever possible until the waters receded. Some residents kayaked on what would normally be city streets. Others swam in water above their knees.
According to the National Weather Service in San Francisco, a flood warning was in effect for the San Francisco area until 2 p.m. on Saturday and an advisory warning was in place until 2 p.m. on Sunday.
King Tides occur when the sun, moon, and Earth are aligned and the Moon is closest to the Earth, creating a stronger gravitational force.
