Aerial Footage Shows Vehicles Stranded After Deadly Levee Break in California

Aerial footage shows vehicles stranded as floodwater poured over Highway 99 in Sacramento County, California, on Sunday, January 1, following a deadly levee break.

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services released the video showing the result of a levee break following heavy rainfall.

Local media reported numerous people were rescued from vehicles along Highway 99, with one person dying after being pulled from the water. Another person was found dead in their submerged car in nearby Elk Grove.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the area, and said rain would continue to impact Northern California into the week. Credit: California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services via Storyful

Video transcript

- January 1, 2022 07:58 hours. Again, looking at the flood on Highway 99, northbound lanes north of the stop in traffic. We have active water flooding from east to west downstream on the Cosumnes.

Zooming in now, north of the vehicle still on dry pavement. We've got 10-12 vehicles working north, all in the northbound lanes towards the Dillard Road exit. There's the southbound off ramp.

January 1, 2022, 07:58 hours. Again, looking at the flood on Highway 99, northbound lanes north of the stop in traffic. We have active water flooding from east to west downstream on the Cosumnes.

Zooming in now, north of the vehicles still on dry pavement. We've got 10-12 vehicles working north, all in the northbound lanes towards the Dillard Road exit. There's the southbound off ramp.