Southern California sees third death from atmospheric river storm drenching region | California
A powerful rain and windstorm carried by an atmospheric river from the Pacific was blamed for the third death in Southern California, as flooding, road closures and debris flows were reported across the region.
A flood watch for nearly the entire region has been extended through Thursday as more than 11 inches of rain was measured in parts of the Los Angeles area Wednesday night and evacuation warnings were issued for mountain communities in San Bernardino County.
“There is a moderate risk of extreme precipitation for parts of Southern California,” the U.S. Weather Prediction Center said. to guess in the early hours of Thursday. “Multiple flash flood events are possible. Additionally, many streams may overflow and potentially impact larger rivers.”
On Wednesday, California governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County and other southern California counties, citing risks of flooding and landslides in areas affected by last year’s wildfires.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass A local emergency was declared. “I urge all Angelenos to stay safe and use extreme caution on the roads if you absolutely must travel. Please do not underestimate this storm — follow official guidance, plan ahead, and sign up for emergency alerts,” he said.
The powerful storm, which is expected to continue through the Christmas holidays and into Saturday, has forced evacuations and led to road closures, flooded highways and flight delays.
A 64-year-old man was killed Wednesday morning in San Diego’s City Heights neighborhood when a 75-foot-tall tree fell on him, the San Diego police department said. Roberto Ruiz’s family told NBC 7San Diego He said he went out of their house to move his car when part of the tree fell and crushed him.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department said a woman was also dragged nine miles down San Jose Creek before being rescued. The woman, whose name has not been released, was first seen in the creek but had already been carried downstream when rescue crews arrived.
“It went downriver for a while,” said Pauline McGee, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department. he told the LA Times.
In Los Angeles, evacuation orders have been issued for about 130 homes considered particularly vulnerable to landslides and debris flows in areas where last year’s wildfires ripped through the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
Experts said the burnt vegetation left the land unable to absorb water.
“These soils are still hydrophobic, which means rain runs off as if it were hitting hard dirt or concrete,” said Scott Kleebauer, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center. he told Bloomberg. “There are burn scars that last four or five years before I see any improvement.”
The Angeles Crest Highway, a major traffic route through the San Gabriel Mountains, was closed in two sections due to flooding.
National Weather Service meteorologist Ariel Cohen said 4 to 8 inches of rain fell in some foothills, and the Los Angeles City News Service said it reported numerous rockslides in the mountains.
Forecasters also issued a rare tornado warning for a small portion of the east-central Los Angeles area due to severe storm activity over the Alhambra community.
Forecasters said that rainfall in the region had decreased as of Wednesday night, but the second wave of the storm system would arrive on Thursday.
