Search and Rescue Operations in California During Flooding » Santa Cruz County

Thirty-three hundred people were evacuated from Pajaro when the river rose seven feet over flood stage. Twenty-seven hundred people were evacuated from low-lying areas near Watsonville, which was still recovering from the Loma Prieta earthquake. A levee break fortunately alleviated the pressure to the San Lorenzo River.

In a repeat of 1992’s problems, localized mud slides closed stretches of Highway 17 connecting Santa Cruz with San Jose. Boulder Creek also rose to record levels in the Scotts Valley area.

Despite numerous evacuations, there were few true rescue situations.

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