UPDATE: Historic flooding has struck Marin County’s low-lying coastal areas, leaving roads submerged and homes without power. As of Saturday afternoon, July 15, 2023, major thoroughfares including Highway 101 and Highway 37 were completely inundated, paralyzing traffic and isolating communities.
Around noon, the king tide reached its peak, causing extensive flooding near Lucky Drive where Highway 101 was underwater for hours. While waters began to recede by 2:30 PM, only a single lane was passable. Nearby towns such as Corte Madera and Larkspur faced similar conditions, with businesses and residential areas affected for the second consecutive day.
Local officials reported that around 1,500 homes in Tiburon and Marin City lost electricity due to the flooding. Laine Hendricks, a spokeswoman for the county, stated, “We are seeing a significant amount of flooding throughout the county,” highlighting affected areas like the Canal neighborhood of San Rafael and North San Pedro Road.
In Belvedere, Mayor Sally Wilkinson revealed that Beach Road was nearly breached by encroaching waters. “The inbound lanes of Tiburon Boulevard were completely covered in water,” she said, emphasizing the dire situation as flooding returned to the area for a second day.
As of 4 PM, the extent of the damage became clearer. In San Rafael, the levee near Vendola Drive sustained damage but was not deemed catastrophic, according to Hendricks. In Marin City, a pumping system successfully kept floodwaters at bay, but officials warned of difficulties in accessing Highway 101.
Despite the challenges, community leaders praised the county’s emergency alert system, Nixle, for keeping residents informed about power outages and road closures. Mayor Stephanie Andre of Larkspur noted that the flooding impacted areas from Trader Joe’s to Redwood High School, saying, “The issue is simple — there is too much water.”
Meteorologist Brayben Murdoch from the National Weather Service attributed the flooding to historically high king tides exceeding seven feet and a storm surge from a recent atmospheric river. “The high tide comes in, it overflows certain areas,” he explained, warning that pockets of floodwaters could persist for several days.
Residents are advised to stay alert, as Mill Valley Police Sergeant David Kollerer indicated that road closures may continue into Sunday. “It just depends on how everything shakes out, especially with the ground being saturated,” he said.
As the situation develops, Marin County officials are working diligently to assess the damage and aid those affected by this unprecedented flooding. Community members are urged to remain vigilant as weather conditions evolve and to utilize available resources for assistance.
Stay tuned for further updates as emergency services respond to this urgent crisis in Marin County.
