Some residents along the San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz County defied the evacuation orders that have since been lifted for the area on Thursday.
Officials said the river gets a lot of runoff from the Santa Cruz Mountains, and with the atmospheric river that has slammed the region, they had no choice but to implement orders.
"We issued a mandatory evacuation order for the Felton Grove area. That is a very low-lying, flood-prone area," said Ashley Keehn, a spokesperson for the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Department.
An evacuation order went out Thursday morning for residents in Santa Cruz County's census-designated place of Felton and areas near Watsonville.
The county said that as of 2:30 p.m., temporary evacuation points at the Scotts Valley Community Center and Watsonville Senior Center were being decommissioned.
The National Weather Service earlier issued a Flood Watch for Santa Cruz County due to an atmospheric river bringing heavy rain, high winds, and thunderstorm chances in the region for Thursday.
Despite the warning, many residents said they knew what to do and decided to stay.
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"It happens every year. But if you go down there the river is coming quickly," said Alex Barangan of Felton.
The Sheriff's department said the concern is that if the ricers raise more and residents end up trapped, then first responders will have to risk their own safety to rescue them.
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"That is a decision that is ultimately up to them. We can give orders, advice, and advisories, but it is ultimately up to the families," Keehn said.
Residents said they understand the risk but that it's a part of living along the San Lorenzo.
"It's pretty crazy. Getting close to the top of the bridge there. When you like for the back of the loading dock, you can see it rising pretty quick," said Tofer Levesque of Felton.
