Over the weekend, surrounding Pajaro River towns received evacuation orders from Monterey County officials due to flooding caused by a levee breach.
So far, 8,500 local residents have been placed under an emergency order of evacuation, with at least 1,700 of those evacuees being Latino farmworkers. No casualties have been reported, but dozens of people have been rescued.
Residents are expected to turn to alternative housing, including motels and evacuation shelters in Salinas and Watsonville. Help has been extended from the National Guard, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, Salinas Police Department and other Californian emergency services.
Emergency staff are predicting another major atmospheric storm Tuesday, which will extend the flooding for several days. The entire town of Pajaro – which remains an unincorporated community – is already submerged under some level of water.
Residents are concerned for their homes and jobs. With fields now flooded, employment is stalled for this small community of farmworkers. Pajaro community members have also been advised not to use tap water due to well inundations.
The repairing of the breached levee will remain a difficult undertaking with the incoming storm. With the possibility of additional downstream impacts from this flooding, evacuations are ongoing.
