BIG SUR — Emergency officials are telling Big Sur residents impacted by last weekend’s partial road collapse to evacuate before expected rains hit the coast this week.
People living south of the Highway 1 Rocky Creek partial road collapse to the Dolan Slide should leave Big Sur before a full road closure at 4 p.m. Wednesday, according to an evacuation warning from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials say both the north and south directions of the road are expected to be closed for several days amid forecasted heavy rains and thunderstorms.
“If you feel unsafe, medically fragile, or are unprepared to be isolated for several days, leave immediately,’’ according to the evacuation warning.
Storms could cause additional damage along Highway 1, county officials said.
The evacuation is being called because emergency responders may not be able to evacuate patients beyond the road closures.
People with medical conditions should gather their medications and medical equipment and leave as soon as possible, the advisory says.
The highway is closed from Limekiln Creek State Park, south of Lucia, to just north of Rocky Creek Bridge, which is about 17 miles south of the city of Monterey.
Up to a half-inch of rain is forecast for Thursday, along with possible hail and snow in high elevations. Friday will bring another roughly quarter-inch of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
Crews will be on scene during the storm to monitor the roadway. Work to install 500 feet of concrete barriers to help guide the limited residential convoys will be completed in the coming days, according to Caltrans. Those convoys are expected to resume Saturday at 8 a.m.
Bay City News contributed to this report.