The FEMA concurred costs for these California storms is currently $87,722,176.22, exceeding the statewide threshold of $72,750,330
By ONME News
Last week Governor Gavin Newsom expanded the storm state of emergency declared last month to 11 additional counties – Alameda, Butte, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, Monterey, Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Sonoma and Sutter – and requested a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for several communities impacted by widespread flooding, mudslides and debris flows during the storms.
The Presidential Major Disaster Declaration request includes the counties of Butte, Glenn, Los Angeles, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Sutter and Ventura. If approved, the declaration would make available federal public assistance funding to help state, tribal and local governments cover emergency response and recovery costs. The request also includes funding for hazard mitigation efforts statewide.
During February 2024, California was hit with a series of atmospheric rivers which brought multiple rounds of heavy precipitation, strong winds, mountain snow, and river and urban flooding across the state. The first impacts were felt on January 31, 2024, and the precipitation did not completely subside until February 9, 2024, as reported by the National Weather Service (NWS).
On January 31, 2024, California activated its State Operations Center (SOC) in preparation for the incoming storms along with the State’s Flood Operations Center (FOC). The SOC remained activated at level two until February 8, 2024, when it resumed normal operations. At the peak of the event, 23 out of 58 counties across the state activated their Emergency Operations Centers (EOC), along with numerous cities, local agencies, non-profit organizations, and private entities.
Parts of Southern California received six to18 inches of snow above 6,000 feet and Northern California received 24 to 48 inches across the Sierra Nevada mountains. NWS has reported that the average snowpack in the Sierras increased by 10 to 20 percent as a result of these storms.
NWS also confirmed two tornadoes touched down in San Luis Obispo County on February 7, 2024, both registering as EF-1 with estimated winds up to 95 miles per hour (mph). These tornadoes toppled and uprooted trees, including large trees with diameters greater than 1.5 feet, some of which fell onto buildings, vehicles, and powerlines causing more damage. The high winds caused damage to multiple structures.
Due to soil saturation coupled with strong winds, fallen debris caused significant power outages throughout the State. It is estimated that approximately 1.4 million customers lost power during this event. These power outages also impacted the safety of drinking water when, at the height of water use restrictions on February 9, 2024, 375 customers were given a boiled water notice and 1,838 were placed on precautionary boiled water notices.
Schools across California were impacted, resulting in widespread school closures. At the peak of school closures on February 6, 2024, 273 schools were closed across 84 school districts, impacting 111,842 students. To date, 45 schools have reported damage of varying severity in eight counties across California.
FEMA and the State have concurred on $87,722,176.22 in costs for these February storms. Since the beginning of 2021, by request of Governor Newsom, the federal government has financially supported six Major Disaster Declarations, and California has experienced an additional 16 state-only events for which Governor Newsom proclaimed a State of Emergency. To date, these disasters have cost nearly $3 billion.
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