Latest storm renews flood concerns in Valley, foothill communities
FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) — The latest round in a relentless series of storms that have battered central California is stoking flooding concerns in communities across the valley and foothills.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the eastern portions of Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties.
RELATED: Severe erosion along the Tule River raises flood concerns for Porterville homes
An NWS winter storm warning, which has also been issued for the Sierra Nevada, begins Sunday through Wednesday.
Overflowing rivers and streams have caused severe flooding in communities throughout Tulare County, including parts of Woodlake, Porterville and Lindsay.
The ongoing flooding has threatened nearly 20,000 buildings across Tulare County since Monday.
Below are the latest updates on the impact of this latest storm:
Monday, March 20th
3:00 p.m
The Merced County Sheriff’s Office has announced that an evacuation warning remains in effect for the Newman and Stevinson area near George Hatfield State Park.
1:16 p.m
All entrances into Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have been closed until further notice due to ongoing winter storms.
Officials say Kings Canyon National Park is expected to remain closed through March.
Sequoia National Park is expected to remain closed until at least April 15.
Crews are working to repair the damage caused by the violent storm series.
Sunday March 19th
4:02 p.m
The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office has issued an evacuation order for the north and south banks of the Tule River in Porterville, from Westwood Street, east to the Plano Bridge area.
This evacuation order does not cover the south shore from Westwood Street, east to the bridge of State Route 65, or any permanent structure with a specific address, except for those for which a prior evacuation order has been issued.
A temporary evacuation shelter was set up at Porterville College at 100 E College Avenue.
7:08 a.m
The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office has issued an evacuation order for the communities of Alpaugh and Allensworth.
The eviction order includes all streets, avenues and driveways within both communities.
The current evacuation route at this time is Westbound 54 Avenue to Virginia Avenue to 6th Avenue, Northbound 6th Avenue to Utica Avenue, Westbound Utica Avenue to Interstate 5.
Northbound 6th Avenue is closed in Quebec as other streets are affected by flooding. 6th Avenue southbound to the Garces Highway is also covered in water.
Residents of Allensworth are advised to take Palmer Avenue east to Highway 43, Highway 43 south to Garces Highway, and Garces Highway east to Highway 99 north.
Officials are urging people to stay away from the waterways due to increased river currents.
Saturday March 18th
7:08 p.m
An evacuation order was downgraded to an evacuation warning for sections along the Tule River from the Richard L. Schafer Dam on Lake Success in Porterville to the east side of Road 284.
The evacuation warning is now in effect from Schafer Dam, west on Avenue 146 to Street 284, south on Street 284 to the south side of the Tule River, south side of the Tule River to Schafer Dam, and north along Schafer Dam to Avenue 146.
RELATED: Where to Get Sandbags in the Valley When a Storm Approaches
Officials continue to urge residents to be aware of current and upcoming weather conditions.
Stay tuned to Action News for the latest updates on this atmospheric flow.
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