FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dan McCrain, Fire Chief/PIO, Email: dmccrain@morrobayca.gov 805-772-6242
Contact: Sarah Johnson Rios, Acting City Manager, Email: sjohnson-rios@morrobayca.gov 805-772-6217
March 10, 2023
CITY OF MORRO BAY DECLARES LOCAL EMERGENCY AS CREEK LEVELS RISE
Morro Bay, CA - The City of Morro Bay has declared a local emergency due to rising creek levels and damage or threatened damage to local infrastructure, homes, and businesses due to flooding.
Weather Update. A heavy band of rain is expected to arrive in the late morning/midday Friday, coinciding with a high tide of 3.22 feet at 12:15 PM. As a result, residents are encouraged to continue to avoid nonessential travel through the afternoon. A flash flood warning is in effect until 1:00 pm, and a flood watch has been issued until 4:00 am tomorrow.
Evacuations. Due to the rising waters and heavy rain, an evacuation warning is in place for residents of Silver City RV Park and Silver City West RV Park, and an evacuation order for residents within those parks whose homes back up directly to Morro Creek. City officials are urging all residents in the affected area to heed evacuation orders and warnings and move to higher ground immediately. The Red Cross has established an emergency shelter at Cal Poly University Crandall Gym, 1 Grand Avenue in San Luis Obispo. Residents and pets displaced from their homes due to the storm are welcome.
Current Local Road Closures. Drivers are advised to avoid these areas.
- Lower State Park Road is closed through the Park.
- Quintana is closed from just south of South Bay Blvd. to Hwy 1.
- Main Street is closed between Errol Street and the U.S. Highway 1 on- and off-ramps.
- South Bay Blvd is closed from Quintana to Santa Ysabel.
City officials are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to provide updates on the situation as more information becomes available. The City urges the community to stay informed and be prepared to take action in the event of further flooding.
Stay updated by following the City of Morro Bay on Facebook, visiting www.ReadySLO.org for County information, visiting the National Weather Service website, and signing up for City News on the Notify Me portion of the web site at https://www.morrobayca.gov/list.aspx.
The emergency proclamation can be found on the City’s website at: https://www.morrobayca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/17573/March-2023-Storm-Incident-Proclamation-
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