Two children died in Northern California Feb. 22 when a hillside collapsed near Shasta Dam.
The juveniles were caught in rocks and debris as the hillside slid into the Sacramento River downstream from Shasta Dam, according to the Shasta County Sheriff’s Department.
Their names and ages were not immediately released.
Deputies responded to the report of a landslide in an area managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management near the dam that allows off-road vehicles. The area is near a drainage culvert that leads to the river.
The two children were caught in the debris slide and swept down the hill, according to the sheriff’s department. They were found with injuries and pronounced dead at the scene.
Water releases from Shasta Dam were temporarily reduced to help in the recovery effort.
Several agencies from Shasta County, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire), Redding police, California Highway Patrol, Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Reclamation helped in the recovery.
“All agencies involved extend their deepest condolences to the families,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
The victims were taken to the Shasta County Coroner’s Office for examination. Further investigation will be conducted by the agencies involved.
