Central California

Homes Evacuated After Central California River Swells From Snowmelt

The Kings River began to flood Wednesday about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Fresno as temperatures soared

Authorities say 90 homes remain under mandatory evacuation orders following levee breaches along the Kings River in Central California.

The Tulare County Sheriff's Office posted aerial photos Sunday showing several submerged houses at the Kings River Golf and Country Club.

Deputies went door to door asking residents to leave after a 15-foot-wide breach opened along the river Friday. Some of those evacuated have been allowed to go back in to inspect the damage.

The National Guard was called in to aid in the disaster, dropping sand bags from the air to emergency crews on the ground rushing to fill the breaches in the levees.

The Fresno Bee says 300 people had to evacuate and that floodwaters have damaged seven structures and 18 RVs in the area east of Kingsburg.

The Kings River began to flood Wednesday about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Fresno as temperatures soared, melting snow in the Sierra Nevada and sending it downstream.

Floodwaters began to recede later Sunday, but a flood warning will remain in place until Monday.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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