At churches, fairgrounds and other makeshift shelters, thousands of Californians packed what belongings they had into garbage bags and suitcases to return home Tuesday, two days after they were told to flee the threat of massive flooding from a dam’s damaged spillway.
They expressed relief as authorities lifted an evacuation order for nearly 200,000 residents who live below the nation’s tallest dam. Some voiced frustration at how authorities handled the disaster that never happened. Most were just happy to be heading home.
State water officials said they had drained enough of the lake behind Oroville Dam so that its earthen emergency spillway will not be needed to handle runoff from an approaching storm.
(AP)
