Storm Causes Flooding, Mudslides

[Neil D]

Storm Causes Flooding, Mudslides in Northern California; Evacuations Urged Along the Napa River

Onlookers watch as floodwaters cover a picnic area in Clackamette Park at the confluence of the Clackamas and Willamette Rivers in Oregon City, Ore., Saturday Dec. 31, 2005. There is a flood warning on the Willamette and other local rivers as forecasters said continuing rain over ground already saturated by downpours could cause rivers to overflow over the weekend. (AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens)

By LISA LEFF Associated Press Writer

The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO Dec 31, 2005 — A powerful storm plowed through Northern California on Saturday, causing mudslides and widespread flooding and snarling holiday traffic from Sonoma to Monterey. Evacuations were encouraged along the Napa River and hillside homeowners were urged to collect valuables, gather emergency supplies and identify escape routes.

Nearly all small creeks and streams in Sonoma County had overflowed their banks, closing some roads.

Firefighters in the Sonoma area rescued two people from a mobile home park, where 4 feet of rushing water washed at least one home off its foundation, and were searching for a third person, said Division Chief Bob Norrbom with the Sonoma Valley Fire Authority. Cars were floating through the park.

Calif. Urges Evacuations Along Rivers

Government Prepares for Next Big Disaster

Fears of Fire

In wine-growing country, the Napa River was at the flood stage of 25 feet in the town of Napa and meteorologists said it would crest at 28 feet around midday.

Police and fire officials urged people living along the Napa River to evacuate, city spokeswoman Jenny Gomez said. Some riverside areas in downtown Napa already were flooded.

Forecasters said severe flooding was expected upstream along the Napa in Calistoga, St. Helena and Yountville.

Meteorologists had warned that parts of Sonoma, Sacramento, Shasta and Tehama counties were ripe for their worst flooding in years. Flood warnings were in effect from Sonoma County across the state to the Nevada line.

The Russian River at the Sonoma County town of Guerneville could rise as high as 43 feet after a second storm that is expected to hit Sunday, officials said. Flood level is 31 feet.

An average of 4 inches of rain fell north of the San Francisco Bay area in the 24-hour period ending Friday evening, according to the National Weather Service.

The two storms could add as much as 6 inches of rain to the already water-logged region by the end of the weekend, said Rick Canepa, a weather service meteorologist in Monterey. More than 2 feet of snow was forecast in the Sierra Nevada.

One woman suffered a broken leg when a mudslide destroyed her home in Santa Rosa late Friday. It took firefighters nearly an hour to free her from the mud and debris, said Santa Rosa Fire Battalion Chief Andy Pforsich.

[:"blue"] It aint just in California, but Oregon and Washington too. I am currently in a hospital with only one way to get home due to a mudslide on one of three highways to the town of Reedsport. HWY 101 is currently open, but the locals have been talking about slides..... [/]