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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Charlie Jones

California caravans fall into river as bank crumbles and collapses during horror storm

Three caravans fell into a river after the bank they were resting on collapsed as snow storms swept across the country.

Two fell during the night and park officials were trying to move the third motorhome away from the precipice when the embankment gave way plunging it into the icy waters of the Santa Clara River below.

Emergency crews were called out and the fallen RVs searched but thankfully no one was hurt in the incident at the Valencia Travel Village RV Resort, California, US.

Two of the vehicles fell at around 2.30am on Saturday February 25 with emergency air crews posting a video of one stricken vehicle on its side poking out of the murky waters.

The wreckage of one of the RVs in the river (Eyewitness News)

A third RV fell during the day in front of reporters.

The RV park lost water and power as the river continued to undercut the bank, causing large chunks of the hillside to break off.

Karissa Johnson, who stays at the park, told ABC7: "I'm actually travelling from Bakersfield and I can't get to work right now because the snow, [the 5 Freeway] is closed going toward Bakersfield, so I haven't been able to get back and forth to work for a couple of days and also, I'm kind of afraid we're going to have to evacuate if it gets any worse."

Residents were shocked at just how fast the water eroded the bank. Some, including the owner, were unable to leave before the storm hit.

This comes as California is being battered by unprecedented storms.

Parts of the typically sun-drenched state had been issued a snow blizzard warning for the first time in more than 30 years.

Three motorhomes were swept into the Santa Clara River (@VCAirUnit/twitter)

The weather closed major roads, caused pileups, closed schools and impacted on air travel.

On Friday morning, nearly 300 flights were cancelled and more than 900 were delayed across the country. That was down from more than 2,000 cancelled and 14,000 delayed flights Thursday.

Gales, strong winds and freezing temperatures battered the southern parts of the state including Los Angeles, following blizzard warnings from the US National Weather Service.

Footage from emergency air crews of one of the stricken vehicles (@VCAirUnit/twitter)

It was the first time such a warning had been given since 1989, and by Saturday, forecasters anticipated up to 8ft (2.4m) of snowfall to the east of the city.

The National Weather Service warned of a “cold and dangerous winter storm”.

As the snow melts river levels are expected to rise and many fear flooding.

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