Pray for San Jose! Thousands displaced as entire neighborhoods are submerged in floodwaters

'It's safe to say none of us have been happier to see sunshine today.'

Previously drought-stricken California has received so much water, entire cities are flooding and thousands have lost their homes.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - A mandatory evacuation of San Jose was issued Wednesday by Mayor Sam Liccardo. At least 14,000 households escaped floodwaters and were forced to stay in overnight shelters.

Many remain displaced while officials survey flooded areas.

Rescue crews saved over 250 people by boat and authorities reported floodwaters have already begun to recede.

On Thursday, Mayor Liccardo stated: "It's safe to say none of us have been happier to see sunshine today. The water is receding, but we are far from out of this."

The mayor stated the Anderson Dam is the reason the heavy rainfall took such a dangerous turn.

It filled and began to overflow into Coyote Creek, which hit a historic crest of 13.6 feet on Tuesday. Its flood stage is anything over 10 feet.

"Obviously, the rain contributed to the overflowing of Anderson Dam but what we have is truly unique," Liccardo explained. "We have evacuation areas that exceeded the 100-year flood zone. This is not a flood we would typically anticipate. What happened at Anderson Dam is the cause."

Water officials from the Santa Clara Valley Water District initially reported Coyote Creek is capable of handling 7,400 cubic feet per second in the Rock Springs area before a flood occurs, but Liccardo announced the data was wrong.

By 1 p.m. Tuesday, the maximum flow recorded by the water district was 7,428 cubic feet well after flooding began.

"What we're learning is the data's wrong, and we need to understand why that is," Liccardo stated during a Wednesday news conference.

"Obviously that's something we need to undertake in partnership with other agencies that have the experts. We don't have the hydrologists. They do."

Please light a prayer candle for those left homeless in the midst of this devastation.

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