South Lake Tahoe has been hit by severe flooding and structure collapses as the atmospheric river continues to pound the Tahoe Basin.
ABC7 News reporter Stephanie Sierra is live in the area and has witnessed everything from roof collapses to the city’s airport runway being completely flooded out.
The flash flooding threat with this storm is significantly worse due to the historic snowpack that has compounded with heavy rainfall.
Businesses have been forced to shut down due to being unsafe to occupy, while scenes of snow buildup accumulation have resulted in roofs collapsing.
South Lake Tahoe Fire Chief Jim Drennen describes it as a double threat, with heavy snow loads causing awnings to crumble and structures to tumble.
The city is cautioning against unnecessary travel for the next several weeks as the Basin struggles through the snow melts and the safety risks to come.
Avalanche control is also in effect and Caltrans has multiple crews tracking any impacts throughout the evening.
