Californians are called to prepare for the high probability of more heavy rain and snowfall

State officials asked Californians to stay vigilant and above all prepared for the high probability of heavy rain and snowfall throughout the state of California this week and for the remainder of the month.

During the videoconference “Severe March Storms” organized by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media, spokespersons for the Ready California program of the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OED) discussed the resources available to prepare for severe storms and for survivors of the heavy rainfall that has hit the state.

David Lawrence, National Weather Service meteorologist and Cal OES liaison, said we're expecting heavy rains in northern and central California on Tuesday, dispersing in portions of the southern part of the state beginning Tuesday and into early Wednesday.

He mentioned that on average, we will see an additional two to five inches of rain in many areas of the state but it could exceed up to 10 inches.

“The areas where they are most likely to occur will be the Central Coast from Monterey County to San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, and as far south as the Sierras.”

Unfortunately, he mentioned that those places are the ones that have suffered the heaviest rains in recent days.

“It is highly likely that we will see additional flooding across the state beginning tonight and continuing through mid-week. So we want them to prepare to deal with heavy snowfall especially in the mountains.”

And he added that they will have to deal with the thaw that will begin in the next two weeks.

“Another impact that we are going to see between Monday and Tuesday, is strong generalized winds of 40 to 60 miles per hour, especially in the San Francisco Bay area, in the Sacramento Valley and in the high elevations of the mountains” .

He said that with strong winds and wet terrain, there is the possibility of falling trees, and there can also be the risk of landslides and rockfalls, in addition to the overflow of rivers.

“As we move into the middle of the month and even into the end of the month, it's very likely that above-normal rainfall will return to the state.”

Therefore, he advised to prepare and keep an eye on the weather forecasts.

Statewide Impact

Vance Taylor, chief of Cal OES's Office of Access and Functional Needs, said the upcoming rains will impact the entire state, in addition to Monterrey, Merced and Santa Cruz, which have been the hardest-hit areas.

So he anticipated that we should expect the numbers of people in shelters to increase as the storms arrive.

He considered that because it is a widespread event and because we have impacted areas throughout the state, there will be a limit to how much the state can do to help people, even when cities, counties and the state are assisting.

“People with physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities, who do not have transportation, who suffer from chronic illness or injury, or whose first language is not English, as well as those who are homeless or economically challenged, are at greater risk of a severe impact. negative”.

Taylor gave some tips to lessen the impact, such as preparing for a power outage, which means all equipment must be loaded; And for those with disabilities, he advised them to contact disability programs for battery backup, hotel coupons, transportation and gas cards.

He asked to contact in advance a family member or trusted person who can assist them if they run out of power, or if they need to evacuate.

“Sign up for free emergency alerts and learn the different evacuation routes in your community and practice your plans and the steps you need to take to stay safe and healthy.”

Community can make a difference

Diana Crofts-Pelayo, spokesperson for Cal OES, said the impact of extreme weather has been very significant. “There are 33 shelters in 14 counties. Nearly 15,800 people are under eviction orders in 16 counties and 6,800 people without power”.

He recalled that Governor Gavin Newsom has activated the state operations center to have a coordinated response and deploy resources to quickly protect affected communities.

He told Californians they can make a difference by signing up for the community alert system, CalAlerts.gov.

If they ask you to evacuate, do it immediately, but you should also prepare a box or a backpack with essential things like food, water, and important documents that you may need for yourselves and your families in case you have to leave your houses immediately. or stay there.

He recommended not driving around the barricades because first responders use them to safely direct traffic, and if they are not followed, vehicles can float in a foot or 12 inches of water.

“This is about neighbors looking out for each other. Go to ReadyCalifornia.org where we have a variety of resources in multiple languages ​​related to preparedness, response and recovery.”

Available resources

Corrin Buchanan, assistant secretary for strategic planning and policy for the California Health and Human Services Agency said that along with Cal OES and 20 other state agencies they are focused on four priority populations, the homeless, the medically vulnerable, people with visible disabilities or non-visible, and residents of medical or non-medical facilities.

He recalled that it is not too late to prepare, for which he recommended visiting www.ches.ca.gov and downloading the template for a temporary emergency plan with an emergency resource guide in Spanish and English.

“Includes a prescription guide, mental health resources, and health care services.”

On the other hand, the Department of Social Services maintains a web page: http://www.cdss.ca.gov with information on shelter centers.

And if you're concerned about a loved one in a long-term care facility, call the Long-Term Care Ombudsman's crisis line at 1-800-231-4024.

Also those people who feel stressed, anxious or depressed, can call 1-833-317-4673; and there is a friendship line for the elderly at 1-888-670-1360.