Heavy rainfall in Northern California caused significant damage in the small community of Redwood Valley in Humboldt County. The deluge resulted in power outages and washed out access roads, leaving numerous residents stranded and without electricity for a duration of four days, according to officials.
The situation is of great concern. Residents of Redwood Valley are facing a dire situation, with no access to electricity and struggling to find food and supplies. Lana Borealis, a resident of the area, shared her concerns with the Eureka Times-Standard in a recent interview. “The community is making concerted efforts to provide mutual support, but the pressing need remains for a secure lane to access and exit the valley at the earliest convenience.”
Residents of Redwood Valley can now freely enter and exit the area, thanks to the reopening of one of the access points, the east end of Bair Road, on Wednesday night. Tom Mattson, the county’s director of public works, confirmed this news to SFGATE.
Power is anticipated to be restored to 47 customers in the area by 6 p.m. Thursday, according to PG&E. “We only gained access to that road this morning,” said Megan McFarland, a spokesperson for PG&E, according to SFGATE. During our journey along that road, we witnessed the sight of rivers overflowing onto the roads, power lines lying on the ground, and fallen trees.
According to Mattson, the community experienced a major disruption over the weekend as significant portions of Bair Road on both the east and west ends were washed out. Access between Redwood Valley and Highway 299 is provided by the west end of Bair Road, while the east end of the road connects the community with Highway 96.
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In the west end of Bair Road, a mile-long stretch was severely damaged by an overflowing creek, according to Mattson. A local resident reported that the creek had overflowed, causing significant damage to the road. According to the resident, the force of the water even carried away parts of the road.
Redwood Valley is a lush region nestled amidst farmlands and dense forests, forming part of the Redwood Creek watershed. According to Mattson, approximately 50 individuals reside in the vicinity, with a significant number of them being residents of Stover Road.
According to National Weather Service forecaster Doug Boushey, the recent storm caused significant damage in the community, bringing 6 to 7 inches of rain to the watershed. Over the weekend, a powerful storm system brought torrential rain to Northern California’s far northwest corner. The towns of Eureka and Crescent City experienced record-breaking precipitation, as reported by the National Weather Service.
According to Mattson, access to Redwood Valley has been completely severed for the first time ever due to the impact of storms on the roads. “In Redwood Valley, a rare occurrence unfolded as the community found itself stranded on both sides,” he reported. “There has always been an escape route available, except in situations where there was no possible escape.”
According to Mattson, there appears to be an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events that are affecting county infrastructure, which he attributes to the changing climate.
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“The priority lies in having sufficient funds to ensure the resilience of our roads,” he emphasized. Residents of Redwood Valley are well-prepared for any natural disasters that may come their way, be it wildfires or severe storms, according to Mattson. According to reports, numerous residents have equipped themselves with generators to tackle power outages.
“The individuals in the area demonstrated resilience and resourcefulness by ensuring they had enough provisions to last several days. However, their fuel and food supplies were running dangerously low,” he stated. An advisory was issued urging residents of Humboldt County to ensure they have a sufficient supply of essentials that can last for two weeks in case of an emergency.
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