A severe rainstorm that struck several areas of California during Christmas caused widespread flash flooding and landslides, claiming at least three lives on Christmas night.
The U.S. weather forecast agency predicts that the heavy rainstorm will continue to impact the region through Friday local time. Some parts of Los Angeles County received up to 11 inches of rain, leading authorities to order evacuations in multiple locations and close several main roads. Rescue teams have responded to multiple incidents, including people trapped inside vehicles as rapidly rising water levels surged.
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles and several southern counties starting Wednesday. By Thursday evening, over 100,000 residents statewide were experiencing power outages.
The U.S. Weather Prediction Center warned of a high likelihood of flash flooding at multiple locations, noting that numerous streams and water bodies could overflow, potentially affecting major rivers.
Reports confirm three storm-related deaths: a 64-year-old man in San Diego who died Wednesday morning after being crushed by a fallen tree; a 74-year-old man who drowned in floodwaters in Redding while police tried to rescue him from his vehicle; and an elderly woman over 70 who died Monday after being swept off rocks by large waves and carried into the sea at MacKerricher State Park in Mendocino County.
Authorities have issued evacuation warnings for some residents in San Bernardino County and flash flood alerts for the San Francisco Bay Area.
Reports indicate wind speeds in some Bay Area locations exceeded 100 miles per hour (about 161 kilometers per hour). In Altadena near Los Angeles, landslides occurred in areas previously burned by wildfires earlier this year, as the soil could no longer absorb the heavy rainfall.
The storm was caused by multiple Atmospheric Rivers—narrow corridors of concentrated moisture from the tropics—that brought massive humidity to the U.S. West Coast, worsening conditions during one of the year's busiest travel weeks.
:BBC
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