Manteca Levee Break & Evacuation: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

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A levee broke in Manteca, California, causing the evacuation of about 500 people, KCRA-TV reported.

The levee was located along the San Joaquin River, and the breach occurred “in a rural area southwest of Manteca,” according to The Modesto Bee.

The levee break was “halted” around 8:45 p.m. on February 20, but evacuations remained in place, the television station reported.

The breach comes as California has dealt with waves of storms that started last Friday.

Here’s what you need to know:


1. The Recent Storms & Rising River Waters Caused the Breach in the Levee

According to Fox 40, the levee “was overwhelmed by rising river waters caused by the massive storms that struck California.”

“The evacuation area stretches from Woodward Road (to the north), Mortensen Road (to the south) and Union Avenue (to the east),” the television station reported.

According to San Joaquin County Emergency Services, the evacuation area is mostly farms and ranches.


2. Sikh Temples Were Offering Sanctuary to Those Evacuating

A historic Sikh temple in Stockton, California, was offering shelter and food to people forced to evacuate due to the levee break.

Other Sikh temples also reached out to help.

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Emergency Services said that the Manteca City Animal shelter can hold small pets. It’s located at 115 E. Wetmore St.
The Lathrop Community Center is the Red Cross shelter open at 15552 5th St. in Lathrop.


3. Officials Said the Fix Was ‘Temporary’

ABC 10 reported that officials had managed to plug the hole in the levee, but they said the fix was temporary.

According to emergency services, the county and other officials were “moving material and equipment to the site to stabilize the situation. The damaged levee is on the east side of the river, so water is moving to the north and east.”


4. Evacuees Were Told to Take Everything From Medication to Pets

Those fleeing their homes were told to “take an emergency kit of prescriptions, documentation, clothing, pets and personal clothing,” ABC 10 reported.

Here’s a look at the rising San Joaquin River from earlier in the day on February 20:

Emergency services previously released this emergency preparedness information:

According to The Washington Post, there were no reports of injuries or damage from the breach.


5. California Has Been Battling Against a Wave of Storms Known as a ‘Weather Bomb’ or ‘Lucifer

According to Fox News, Manteca was not the only area in California affected by rising rivers. “Evacuations were ordered in Central California on Monday and flash-flood warnings were issued elsewhere as downpours swelled creeks and rivers to troubling levels in the already soggy region,” the site reported on February 20.

There were multiple reports of evacuations and flash flood warnings in the state on February 20, reported The Washington Post.

California was struck by the large weather mass on Friday and into the weekend, leading to dramatic scenes in which cars tumbled into sinkholes and people died from such things as being electrocuted and submerged in a car. The rare storm was expected to dump a total of 10 trillion gallons of water over the state.