5000 Flee Homes Before Floods

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30632, 24 December 1964, Page 11

5000 Flee Homes Before Floods

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

EUREKA (California), December 22.

At least 5000 persons in Oregon and northern California fled their homes today as rainswollen mountain rivers spilled over their banks into scores of towns and villages.

At least six persons died in the storm.

Rain continued to pound the rugged coastal area late tonight and more was expected, the Weather Bureau predicted. Governors of both States earlier declared the flooded portions as disaster areas. California’s Governor, Mr Edmund G. Brown, was told the northern counties were suffering from the worst flood-

ing in history and the danger was spreading rapidly. In Oregon more than 1000 persons were evacuated from their homes as flood waters swirled into towns. Most major roads were blocked, and mudslides were reported to have caused at least two railway derailments and cut off rail service elsewhere. Governor Mark Hatfield’s declaration of Oregon as an emergency disaster area frees State funds for emergency purposes and clears the way for Federal aid to affected areas.

The floods came as warm weather and heavy rainfall moved into the State after several days of snowfall and freezing weather. In California’s four northwestern counties, which were hardest hit by the storm, the U.S. Army corps of engineers tonight predicted that total flood damage would exceed 35 million dollars, if crest heights on the Eel, Klamath, Smith and Russian rivers were reached late tonight as expected.

At least 3000 telephones were out in the four-county area and major highways were blocked by rushing waters.

Governors Brown and Hatfield also ordered their State National Guards to assist local authorities in the disaster sections.