Flood Debris Shuts Beach in N. California

About three miles of beach north of the mouth of the Russian River were closed Saturday because of propane tanks and other debris left from last month’s floods. State officials said they feared toxic materials may be among the debris.

Meanwhile, evacuees began returning to their homes in Thornton and cleaning up the damage wrought by flood waters that breached a levee and inundated the town of 1,300.

Flood waters also receded in the Yuba County town of Linda, although sewage continued to pose a health hazard and many areas remained flooded. About 26,000 residents of the Linda-Olivehurst area fled their homes last week after a nine-day series of storms in Northern California that caused at least $320 million in damage. More than 50,000 people were evacuated in Northern California, dozens were injured and 13 died in the floods and mud slides.