Time Stands Still as Southern California Residents Flee Cliffside Apartments

The residents of southern California are facing a desperate situation as the hill beneath their oceanside apartment buildings begins to crumble due to torrential rains. With no end in sight to the rainstorms, authorities in San Clemente are unable to give a timetable for the residents to return to their homes. The ground is still shifting, posing a significant threat to the structures, according to San Clemente’s mayor, Chris Duncan. This latest development is part of a larger crisis in California, where a presidential emergency declaration has been issued to cover 35 out of 58 counties, highlighting the fragility of the state’s infrastructure.

The intensity of the storms in California has left a trail of destruction, with 11 atmospheric rivers battering the state, causing widespread flooding, landslides, and power outages that have left thousands without electricity. The situation is dire, with reports of sinkholes, ravaged towns, and cities facing multiple crises. In Pajaro, a town on the central coast, residents were forced to evacuate in the middle of the night as an aging levee broke, allowing river water to engulf their town. The problems with the levee, which had failed before, leaving two people dead and $95 million in damage, were well known.

The city of La Habra is also facing a crisis, with multiple sinkholes opening up after heavy rain. Repairs to an earlier hole have yet to be completed, sparking concerns about the structural integrity of the area. In San Clemente, three clifftop apartment buildings and one nearby building were red-tagged and evacuated on Wednesday after the land began to shift and slide away from their backyards down a hillside. About 20 to 30 residents were evacuated, with some allowed to briefly return on Thursday to move out their belongings.

The National Weather Service has warned of more heavy rain to come, which could hit southern California again early next week. As the situation continues to unfold, authorities are working to provide federal assistance to state and local governments to deal with the series of fierce winter storms. The Associated Press contributed reporting on this crisis.