Rescue teams kept busy as Tule River rises in Tulare County

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Water is still being released from Lake Success on Wednesday, causing the Tule River to rise in Tulare County.

An evacuation order is in place from the spillway to the east side of Road 284.

The river is flowing rapidly and rising quickly, creating a major concern for residents and first responders.

"It has a lot of water running through it, the most I have ever seen and I think the most since the late 60s," explained Porterville Police Chief Jake Castellow.

An Orange County Fire swift water rescue team that's assisting in the Valley helped a man who was trapped on an island as the river rose on Wednesday.

Tulare County Fire Chief Charlie Norman says this is one of many recent rescue efforts.

Norman says he can't stress enough the importance of staying away from any flowing water right now.

"Ever since the storm started, we've had over 89 rescues throughout the county and local jurisdiction. The one today was one on the bridge with a person experiencing homelessness. Our folks were able to go and retrieve the subject," said Norma.

Residents who live near the river in Porterville saw it rise a significant amount from Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday morning as water flowed over the spillway at Shafer Dam.

Castellow says for now, the city is keeping a close eye on certain parts of the river and reminding residents to be prepared for a potential evacuation.

"We have tried to mitigate some of the issues we have found in those areas and it is holding up, we will continue monitoring and looking for trigger points," said Castellow.

There is an evacuation warning for some residents who live near the river in addition to the evacuation order from the Tulare County Sheriff's Office.

The spillway at Lake Kaweah is not operating at the moment.

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