The Guadalupe River flood in Texas resulted in over 100 fatalities, revealing the dangers of flash floods, which California faces with its own risky geography. California has experienced historical flooding disasters, including the catastrophic events in Sacramento (1861-62), the 1934 Los Angeles flood, and debris flows in Montecito (2018) after heavy rainfall. Recent extreme winter storms in California during 2023 also led to significant casualties. Professor Brett Sanders noted the high risk of flooding in California's unique landscape, emphasizing that many areas are vulnerable to sudden flooding and fast-moving water.
"Those risks exist here," said Brett Sanders, a UC Irvine professor whose research focuses on flooding. "We have a lot of the same possibility of flash flooding. We have hilly topography. We have streams that can spread out and catch you by surprise with water."
"Floodways are areas where you know the water will be moving really fast, and so you know that's going to be a really dangerous place to be," Sanders said.
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