More than 8,500 forced to evacuate in California after levee breaks in storms

Latest atmospheric river storm hits farmland and agricultural communities around Pajaro River

Crews rushed to repair a levee break on a storm-swollen river in California’s central coast as yet another atmospheric river arrived on Monday with the potential to wallop the state’s swamped farmland and agricultural communities.

The Pajaro River’s first levee rupture grew to at least 400ft (120 meters) since it failed late Friday, officials said. More than 8,500 people were forced to evacuate, and about 50 people had to be rescued as the water rose that night.