California is at risk of disastrous flooding, forecasters warn

Forecasters warned on Friday that central California is at risk of ” disastrous flooding” this weekend.

The most populous US state has been pummeled by near-record downpours over a very wet three weeks, which have already caused flooding, landslides and widespread power outages.

At least 19 people are known to have died as communities struggle to cope with the constant deluge.

On Friday yet another system moved in, with forecasters warning the Monterey Peninsula could be cut off and the whole city of Salinas — home to 160,000 people — flooded.

“The entire lower Salinas Valley will have disastrous flooding,” the National Weather Service said.

“The entire city of Salinas is in danger of flooding. Most of Castroville will flood. All roads near the Salinas River will be flooded and impassable. 90,000 acres or more of agricultural land in the Salinas Valley will have disastrous flooding.

E.M