bay area storm

Mudslide causes Sonoma County home to slide into Russian River

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A mudslide in the Forestville area of Sonoma County caused an unoccupied home to slide into the Russian River Tuesday afternoon, officials said.

The mudslide happened at about 12:30 p.m. near the intersection of Westside and Rio Vista roads, close to the Forest Hills-Hacienda Bridge, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said.

"Luckily, it was an unoccupied vacation rental," said Karen Hancock with the Sonoma County Fire District. "That was great news for us because we had put our water rescue crews in the river because initially we had no idea whether there was anybody in the home or not."

The owner of the nearby Russian River Pub captured video of the house floating down the river. Residents said they had never seen anything like it.

"I've never personally seen a house come off a hill out in this area before," Austin Harris said. "These are unprecedented rains that we’re getting out here."

About 11 houses along the impacted hillside were evacuated. Geologists will work to determine if the hillside has stabilized.

With roads flooded and hills saturated all over the region, the Sonoma County Fire District urged everyone to take precautions.

"Please, please, please, use caution," Hancock said. "Rain is still coming down. We are still in a flood warning."

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