"Severe Snowstorm Hits US West... Flooding Follows as Snow Melts"

Abnormal Climate Causes River Water Levels to Surge 3 to 4 Times
"Farmland Flooded and Residential Areas at Risk"

The state of California, which suffered greatly from heavy snowfall last winter, is now struggling with flooding. This is due to the melting of snow accumulated throughout the winter, leading to flood damage.

On the 16th (local time), local media including CNN reported that flooding damage is occurring in various parts of the western United States. According to the media, the damage is particularly severe in the city of Corcoran near California's Central Valley.

The Tulare Basin near Corcoran was once a lake, but about a century ago, after the water receded, people came and reclaimed the land for farming. It is now one of the granaries cultivating various nuts such as almonds and pistachios.

However, due to abnormal weather, crops have been damaged, increasing the hardships for farmers. By the end of last year, California experienced more than ten episodes of heavy rain and snowfall. To make matters worse, as the accumulated snow melted in spring, water poured down from the nearby mountains. As a result, farmland has been submerged.

Snow accumulated in the mountains of Tulare, California, melted and flooded the agricultural fields of Tulare Lake.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Farmers have suffered economic losses as they could not harvest their crops. The problem does not end there. As the lake water level rises, the risk of residential flooding is also increasing.

One resident told the media, "All the crops are completely submerged and ruined," adding, "People have lost their livelihoods. It is really frightening."

The snow that accumulated in the mountains during winter melted slowly due to spring temperatures being lower than usual. However, this month, temperatures have started to rise significantly, and the snow is melting faster and faster.

David Robinson, sheriff of Kings County, which has jurisdiction over the area, said, "This spring, the warming was very slow, so we were somewhat lucky," but expressed concern, saying, "Now we know the heat is coming."

Currently, city authorities and local organizations are mobilizing personnel and equipment to prevent further damage. The organizations plan to build levees with a total circumference of 23.3 km to prevent flood damage.

Meanwhile, the California Department of Water Resources expects the inflow of water to continue until September. As a result, the annual flow volumes of the Tule River and Kern River, which run through the western U.S., are projected to surge to 4.3 times and 3.7 times the previous year's average, respectively.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.