Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Friday 2 March 2018
Storm hits California, evacuations ordered in mudslide area

CHRIS WEBER hour.
OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ “We’re thrilled about this
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A storm,” Myers said. “Once
major winter storm swept the storm moves out of the
south through California on area, we’ll have a beautiful
Thursday, bringing heavy bluebird powder day.”
snow and strong winds to Predictions of widespread
mountains and steady rain showers raised concern
elsewhere, while prompting about flash flooding when
mandatory evacuations for the storm reaches Southern
coastal areas to the south California.
that were devastated by Santa Barbara County
deadly mudslides in Janu- ordered the immediate
ary. evacuations for residents of
As many as 30,000 people areas burned by three ma-
were ordered to leave jor wildfires over the past 18
an area of Santa Barbara months.
County before the storm The order encompasses
arrived early Friday. Montecito, where a Jan. 9
Sheriff Bill Brown said fore- storm triggered flash floods
casters weren't certain how that destroyed or dam-
intense the storm would aged hundreds of homes.
be when it arrives in South- Twenty-one people were
ern California. However, In this photo, Lantry Road became a difficult hill to climb as a winter storm left few inches of snow in killed and two remain miss-
modeling indicates "there Oak Hills area in Hesperia, Calif. A major winter storm swept south through California on Thursday, ing. Other areas impacted
is a risk for dangerous flash bringing heavy snow and strong winds to mountains and steady rain elsewhere. by the order are Goleta,
flooding, mud and debris (James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP, File) Santa Barbara, Montecito,
flows," he warned. Summerland and Carpin-
"I'm not going anywhere," People cannot be forced areas as low as 3,500 feet Northern mountains were teria.
Montecito resident Harriet to leave their homes under (1,066 meters), and officials expected to receive as The county is following a rig-
Mosson said. a mandatory evacuation warned people to stay off much as 5 feet (1.5 meters) orous new system of alerts
The 76-year-old said the order, but authorities said mountain roads. of snow and reach 7 feet that emphasizes evacu-
three-story condo build- they should not be expect- The California Depart- (2.1 meters) in some areas. ations well in advance of
ing where she lives was not ed to be rescued while the ment of Transportation said The snow will help the Sierra storms rather than suggest-
damaged in January be- storm event is occurring. 90-miles stretch of Interstate snowpack, which is vital ing residents can use their
cause it's on the ocean side To the north, a blizzard 80 was closed between to the state’s water supply discretion.
of U.S. 101, which helped warning was issued for Colfax, California, and the and is only about a quarter “We want everyone to be
divert the mudslides that parts of the Sierra Nevada, Nevada state line due to of its normal depth for this out of the area, and out
came down the mountains. where winds could gust up whiteout conditions. time of winter. of harm’s way, by night-
"Can it happen again? to 125 mph (200 kph) on Chains or snow tires were Stephanie Myers, a spokes- fall,” Brown said, adding
Yeah, I guess it can. Will it, ridges and 60 mph (95 kph) needed on stretches of In- woman for Heavenly Moun- that evacuations in areas
now? I doubt it," she said. in some valleys, the Nation- terstate 80, U.S. 50 and U.S. tain Resort and Kirkwood stripped bare by wildfires
"And if something terrible al Weather Service said. 395. Dozens of collisions Mountain Resort in Lake Ta- will be part of “the new nor-
happens I'll be able to get The cold front is expected were reported on San Fran- hoe, estimated snow was mal” following the devasta-
out of here." to bring snow to foothill cisco Bay Area highways. falling at about 2 inches an tion in Montecito.q

Nor'easter, life-threatening flooding to sweep East Coast

SARAH BETANCOURT vere flooding issues here "I have a new washer, and
BOSTON (AP) — Airlines, of- than we did in the Jan. 4 my boyfriend just built a
ficials and residents braced storm," when a Nor'easter wooden platform for it.
Thursday for potentially lashed the region with We got a couple of sump
widespread coastal flood- heavy snow and rain, pumps," said Shaffer, who
ing from a major Nor'easter he said.Locals were tak- planned to evacuate
bearing down on a large ing matters into their own to high ground Thursday
swath of the East coast. hands. In Duxbury, south of night. "This storm is going to
Heavy rain, intermittent Boston, officials urged resi- be worse because it's go-
snow and high winds with dents to evacuate as soon ing over three high tides,"
gusts exceeding 50 miles as possible, and the fire de- she said.
per hour are expected as partment was preparing to The Coast Guard advised
the storm moves up the use a high water rescue ve- boaters to exercise "vigi-
Eastern seaboard, begin- hicle for the first time to help lance and extreme cau-
ning in New York and Con- any residents who wind up tion."
necticut on Thursday eve- stuck in homes during high In New Jersey, officials wor-
ning. floodwaters. ried that the storm could
Massachusetts Gov. Char- Michelle Shaffer, 45, of the take a chunk out of beach-
lie Baker activated 200 Na- Residents and business owners collect sandbags, Thursday, coastal Massachusetts es just south of Atlantic City
tional Guard members to March 1, 2018, in Scituate, Mass., ahead of Friday's expected town of Hull, lost her appli- that are still being repaired
storm, predicted to bring high winds and the potential for coast-
help with the storm. "We're al flooding. ances under 5 feet of water because of damage from
expecting to see more se- (Greg Derr/The Quincy Patriot Ledger via AP) during the last big storm. previous storms.q