CALIFORNIA — Over 8,500 residents have been urged to evacuate immediately after a 100-foot-wide breach emerged along California's Pajaro River around midnight Saturday morning as the state has faced a series of storms.
"My heart hurts tonight for the residents of Pajaro. We were hoping to avoid and prevent this situation, but the worst case scenario has arrived with the Pajaro River overtopping and levee breaching at about midnight," Luis Alejo, chair of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, said in a tweet.
After the levee break occurred, the sheriff's office did 60 rescues from the area, according to Monterey County officials. "Some residents evacuated yesterday and overnight but did not leave the area and we are working on getting them transported to emergency shelters. MST is providing free transportation to shelters, and temporary evacuation points," the county said in a statement Saturday.
As of early Saturday morning, officials have been assisting residents who did not evacuate earlier after receiving evacuation orders. Residents in the evacuation zone who need help should call 911 immediately, Monterey County officials said.
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