California couple killed in Yosemite National Park rockslide identified by park officials

Authorities have identified two people who died on a rock slide in Yosemite National Park on Tuesday morning.

A statement released by the National Park Service identified the victims as Georgios Theocharous, 51, and Ming Yan, 35, a couple from San Jose, California.

The incident occurred around 9:00 am on Tuesday, December 27, on El Portal Road near Big Oak Flat Road.

Yosemite National Park sign
(iStock)

Deadly storms, floods hit Oregon, Washington

A portion of US 140 has the Merced River on one side and a large rocky hill on the other. This road leads to Yosemite Valley on the east and one of the park’s three western entrances on the west.

A couple’s Dodge Ram hit a rock falling from 1,000 feet above El Portal Road. The falling rocks pushed our rented truck off the road and hit the embankment of the Merced River.

Heavy rains hit central and northern California, causing widespread road closures and evacuation orders

A total of about 185 tons of rock was involved in the rock slide that affected 500 feet of roadway, park officials said. The cause of the rockfall is under investigation by the National Park Service.

The National Park Service said in a tweet that rock slides closed part of El Portal Road for several hours. After an unexpected tragedy, the road reopened the next day.

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On Friday evening, the park announced another closure on Big Oak Flat Road east of Foresta due to another rockfall incident. The park reopened to roads on Saturday afternoon.