Update: Evacuation order in Porterville reduced as water levels drop near Tule River
UPDATE: The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office reduced the evacuation order to an evacuation warning on Saturday night because of water levels dropping in Tule River below the Schafer Dam, at Lake Success.
ORIGINAL STORY: An evacuation order was issued for a neighborhood in Porterville on Thursday night due to flooding on the Tule River from recent storms.
The affected area was on the south side of Rio Vista Avenue, near East Date and South Plano avenues.
An update at 9 p.m. said there had been erosion to the bank of the river.
The order was issued “for all residences, businesses, and structures” on the stretch of the road, said an email from the city of Porterville and Tulare County.
A temporary evacuation spot was up at Porterville College at 100 E. College Ave.
It’s the second recent evacuation order in the Tulare County city, with an order in Porterville impacting about 100 people early Wednesday.
It’s Porterville is not the only area in Tulare County under threat from flooding.
Earlier Thursday, an evacuation warning was issued for the communities of Alpaugh and Allensworth.
Also Thursday, an evacuation order was issued by Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux for all homes, businesses and structures north of the north branch of the Tule River to Avenue 192 and east of Highway 99 to Road 152.
Lake Kaweah also has been under close watch from the Army Corps of Engineers due to the run-off in the Kaweah River.
This story was originally published March 16, 2023 at 9:41 PM.
