A ferocious and record-breaking Christmas storm has claimed the lives of three people across California, unleashing deadly flooding, toppling trees and generating powerful waves during one of the year's busiest holiday travel periods.
The relentless weather system, fuelled by a moisture-laden atmospheric river, battered the state from Northern California all the way down to San Diego County. The horrendous conditions triggered mudslides and forced emergency evacuations as families spent Christmas Day contending with flood warnings, widespread power cuts and major road closures.
Fatalities Across the State
Authorities confirmed the three fatalities occurred in separate regions as emergency crews worked through the holiday to rescue residents trapped by rising water and collapsing hillsides.
In San Diego, a 64-year-old man was killed on Christmas Eve morning. Roberto Ruiz was struck when a massive 75-foot tree collapsed onto him in the City Heights neighbourhood amid high winds and heavy rain. Family members told local media he had stepped outside his home to move his car when the tree toppled.
Earlier in the week, one person died in rising floodwaters in the city of Redding on Sunday after water overwhelmed parts of the area. Police officers attempted to rescue the individual, who was trapped inside a vehicle, but were unable to reach them in time.
On Monday, a woman in her 70s was killed along the Northern California coast when a powerful wave knocked her off rocks at MacKerricher State Park, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.
Widespread Devastation and Emergency Response
The deaths came as the storm dumped months' worth of rain in just days, overwhelming drainage systems and sending torrents of mud and debris through communities still scarred by wildfires from earlier this year.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a state of emergency on Wednesday as flash flood warnings and evacuation orders spread. Authorities reported widespread road closures, water rescues and door-to-door evacuations, particularly in burn-scarred terrain unable to absorb the intense rainfall.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department ordered evacuations for multiple mountain communities up to the Los Angeles County line, warning of life-threatening mudslides. Similar orders were issued for the Palisades, Sunset, Hurst and Ridgewood areas, where Los Angeles police officers personally knocked on doors of the most vulnerable homes. Officials stated about 380 homes were placed under evacuation orders.
By Christmas morning, skies briefly cleared, giving first responders a narrow window to regroup. "We're using this time to reinforce our troops in the area to get ready for the next band of rain," San Bernardino County Fire Department's Christopher Prater told media.
In one dramatic rescue, the Los Angeles County Fire Department saved a 50-year-old man who was stranded on the hood of his car with his cat and dog in the Sunland-Tujunga neighbourhood.
Ongoing Threats and Statewide Impact
Meteorologists warned the storm was far from over, with another powerful system rolling into Southern California on Thursday, raising fears of renewed flooding and debris flows.
"This is shaping up to be one of the wettest Christmas periods in years," said Tom Kines, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather. The impacts stretched statewide, with more than 120,000 customers left without power at the peak.
Mudslides buried roads in mountain towns like Wrightwood, where county firefighters rescued people trapped in vehicles. With electricity out, a local gas station running on generators became a gathering point for stranded residents.
"It's really a crazy Christmas," said Jill Jenkins, who spent the holiday in Wrightwood with her grandson. The family nearly evacuated after water washed away part of their backyard.
Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in six counties, allowing additional state resources and first responders to be deployed, with the California National Guard placed on standby. As Californians endured a storm-battered holiday, the death toll continued to underscore the danger of the historic weather system.
