On this edition of Your Call, we discuss California’s ongoing storm, which is wreaking havoc across many parts of the state.
On Saturday, a levee broke along the Pajaro River in Monterey County forcing 1,700 people to flee their homes. An aerial view shows the entire area submerged in flood waters.
More than half of Pajaro's residents are primarily low-income Spanish speaking. Many are farmworkers.
For decades, officials knew that the levee was vulnerable, but never prioritized repairs, in part, because they believed it did not make financial sense to protect the low-income area, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Guest:
Susanne Rust, investigative reporter for the Los Angeles Times
Web Resources:
Los Angeles Times: Age, drought, rodents and neglect weaken California levees, heightening flood danger
Los Angeles Times: Before disastrous flood, officials knew Pajaro River levee could fail but took no action
Los Angeles Times: Scenes of devastation along the Pajaro River: ‘The water is still coming in. It’s rising’
The Mercury News: ‘Complete panic’: Pajaro residents seek shelter as the next atmospheric river is on its way