There is no estimated reopening date for State Route 154, a key north-south artery in the county that is bogged down with mud and rocks, Buttita said.
Nine atmospheric rivers since late December have caused power outages, flooding, levee breaches, mudslides and mudslides across nearly the entire state. At least 20 people died.
Light rain and snow persisted Tuesday in some areas of California, but the skies were finally mostly clear.
A shower of a rapid system was forecast for Wednesday or Thursday, followed by a dry spell, the National Weather Service said.
Forecasters warned that while the midweek rain will be light, it could be enough to cause problems because the state is so congested.
Flood warnings remained in effect for the Salinas River in Monterey County and parts of Mariposa and Merced counties in the Central Valley.
Ventura County officials said it could take up to three weeks to clear the only road to the remote Matilija Canyon community in the Los Padres National Forest near Ojai. Repairs could take six months. More than 70 residents were evacuated by helicopter, but a few refused to leave, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
“Towering mounds of rock and mud reach more than 40 feet in height in some places, blocking access to roads and stranding residents in the canyon,” the sheriff’s office said over the weekend. declaration.
North of Berkeley, eight homes were tagged with red tags after a sodden hillside collapsed Monday, sending mud onto properties, including one belonging to Marjorie Cruz. No injuries were reported.
«You can’t describe what it’s like to wake up in the morning and look out the door and see this horror go by,» Cruz said. NBC Bay Area. «We’ve had enough rain for now and plenty of time to come.»
The amount of rain and snow across the state has been staggering.
San Francisco’s «water year» to date, since Oct. 1, 2022, has recorded 21.75 inches of rain, making it the sixth wettest year on record, the National Weather Service said.
The amount of water in the snowpack covering the Sierra Nevada and other mountain ranges is more than 250% of normal to date and 124% of the April 1 average, when snowpack is normally at its peak , according to the state Department of Water Resources. .
President Joe Biden plans to travel to California’s central coast on Thursday to visit areas that have been devastated by extreme weather. The White House said in a statement Monday that the president would meet with first responders and state and local officials, assess recovery efforts and assess what additional federal support is needed.