Thousands of residents in California were forced to flee their homes on Christmas morning, as catastrophic flooding and debris flows triggered widespread evacuation orders and paralysed major highways.
State of Emergency Declared Amid 'Life-Threatening' Warnings
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a state of emergency for the city, forecasting a holiday washout for the Golden State. Coastal areas braced for several months' worth of rain to fall in just a few days. The dire situation was compounded by saturated soils from last year's wildfires, increasing the risk of mudslides.
The National Weather Service took the rare step of issuing a 'high risk' alert for excessive rainfall in Los Angeles and northern areas. The US Weather Prediction Centre warned that 'lives and property are in great danger' from severe, widespread flash flooding expected to persist through Christmas Day.
Widespread Damage and Dramatic Rescues
By Wednesday night, parts of Los Angeles County had already been deluged with more than 11 inches of rain. Over 61,000 California residents were without power, according to PowerOutage.us. Flash flood warnings were active for several cities, including San Fernando, Altadena, and Santa Clarita.
Emergency services were stretched thin, performing dramatic rescues. Firefighters saved a man trapped in a Los Angeles River drainage tunnel and a woman who was swept nine miles down the San Jose Creek. In San Bernardino County, crews went door-to-door in the ski resort town of Wrightwood, rescuing people from cars and homes blocked by mud and debris on Highway 2.
Mandatory evacuation orders were enforced for areas scarred by recent wildfires, including parts of Orange County affected by the Airport Fire and the wealthy Pacific Palisades enclave in LA County. Despite police visits to 126 properties in the Palisades burn zone urging evacuation, many residents chose to stay.
Economic and Human Toll of the Holiday Storms
The storms have wrought a significant economic and human cost during what should be a peak holiday period. In Wrightwood, a community reliant on Christmas tourism, vacation rental cancellations created what one local called an 'economic nightmare'.
Tragically, the severe weather appears to have claimed a life in Sacramento. Sheriff's Deputy James Caravallo, a 19-year veteran, died in a crash while on duty. Authorities are investigating the incident as potentially weather-related, occurring amid wind and flood advisories.
Governor Gavin Newsom has proclaimed a state of emergency for multiple counties, including Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego. He has deployed emergency resources and first responders, with the California National Guard on standby. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors also declared its own local emergency to accelerate recovery efforts.
Meteorologists warn this is just the beginning. A dangerous series of winter storms is set to pummel the area, with peak rainfall rates potentially reaching 1.5 inches per hour. By Friday, Southern California could see a staggering total of 14 inches of rain. The Sierra Nevada faces heavy snow and 'near white-out' conditions, with a considerable avalanche risk around Lake Tahoe.
