CORTE MADERA, Calif. (AP) — Heavy rain combined with unusually high tides caused major flooding in parts of Northern California on Saturday. Officials said the tides were the worst seen in nearly 20 years, forcing road closures and rescues of people stuck in their cars.
Several roads along a 15-mile (24-kilometer) stretch from Sausalito to San Rafael were flooded after heavy rain fell at the same time as record-level “King Tides,” according to Marin County Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Dobbins.
Emergency teams were called after vehicles became stuck in floodwaters that were as deep as 3 to 4 feet (1.1 to 1.2 meters), Dobbins said.
“There is a lot of water on the roadways,” he said, adding that the tides were believed to be the highest in more than two decades. “Along with heavy rains, it just created the perfect storm for flooding on the streets.”
Authorities in communities north of San Francisco urged residents to stay indoors until water levels dropped. While some people used kayaks to move through flooded streets, others were seen walking through knee-deep water.
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the San Francisco area until 2 p.m. Saturday, along with a flood advisory that will remain in place until 2 p.m. Sunday. Officials also warned that repeated rounds of rain were expected across California on Sunday and Monday.
Further south in Santa Barbara County, flooding forced the closure of several roads, and a major highway near Goleta was blocked after multiple mudslides. The county sheriff’s office said one man died after being swept into a creek during the storm.
King Tides happen when the sun, moon, and Earth line up, and the moon is closest to Earth. This creates a stronger pull, leading to much higher-than-normal tides.
