Santa Rosa, CA – The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors declared a Local Emergency Tuesday in the midst of powerful winter storms that have battered the County with heavy rains that caused the Russian River to overflow its banks, and forcing the evacuation of thousands residents from the lower river area.
The proclamation requests that California Governor Gavin Newsom proclaim a State of Emergency, waive regulations that could hinder response and recovery efforts, and make state disaster and assistance and relief programs available for damage caused by the 2019 winter storms and flooding. The proclamation is the first step in seeking support for the response efforts that are under way and the recovery efforts that will follow.
The latest forecast shows the Russian River reaching a crest in Guerneville of 46 feet at 9 p.m. Wednesday night. Rising floodwaters overnight closed numerous roadways throughout the county. A landslide closed the 9200 block of Bohemian Highway, and rising water in the Laguna de Santa Rosa forced the closure of Highway 12 between Llano Road and downtown Sebastopol.
