Evacuations ordered in California as massive storm slams into coast

BBC reported that evacuation orders and advisories are in place in parts of northern California as a major storm slams into the coast.

Regions that have been hit by wildfires in the past were among the first places to be told to evacuate due to concerns about flooding and landslides.

California’s governor has declared a state of emergency for the storm – the second to drench the state in a week.

Forecasters say it will form into a bomb cyclone, a type of explosive storm, and will probably kill people.

Northern California, which saw a deadly levee breach over the weekend, is expected to be hardest-hit.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a flood watch and high wind warning for the entire Bay Area in northern California, saying that wind gusts were expected to down trees and cause power outages.

It warned that the North Fork Dam was compromised and water would overtop its spillway by Thursday morning. The NWS urged anyone in low-lying areas beneath the dam to “move to higher ground immediately”

(picture BBC)