El Niño Disintegrates California Highway

Highway 3 (Caltrans / SF Chronicle)
Caltrans / SF Chronicle

Two large stretches of a Northern California highway disintegrated and gave way Monday night as El Niño-powered rainstorms lashed the area.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, two portions of Highway 3 in Trinity County — measuring roughly 100 yards total — collapsed at around 11:30 p.m. Monday night. The highway serves as a route between Weaverville and nearby Yreka.

The highway remained closed Monday night into Tuesday. The entire road could be subject to a long-term closure due to the extensive nature of the damage, according to local ABC affiliate KRCR.

No injuries were reported.

Portions of California have seen the Pacific El Niño return with a vengeance this week. The weather pattern has dumped billions of gallons of water into California’s reservoirs this month, and has also added to the state’s critical snowpack after a hot, dry February.

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