Winter storm triggers mudslides in Southern California
WRIGHTWOOD, SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA, US - DEC. 26: A powerful winter storm fueled by the Pineapple Express triggered mudslides in Wrightwood and other parts of Southern California, prompting road closures and emergency responses on Friday, Dec. 26.At least three people were killed as powerful storms battered California during Thursday’s Christmas holiday, triggering floods, mudslides, and widespread power outages, according to media reports.Heavy rain driven by multiple atmospheric rivers swept across Southern California and the San Francisco Bay Area, dumping up to 11 inches (27 centimeters) of rain in parts of Los Angeles County and prompting evacuations, according to the BBC and ABC News.California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Wednesday in Los Angeles and several other counties as emergency crews carried out water rescues and cleared debris-clogged roads.A 64-year-old man in San Diego was killed by a falling tree on Wednesday, police said.Another man, age 74, died in the city of Redding after becoming trapped in a vehicle during flooding over the weekend, while a woman in her 70s was swept into the ocean by a large wave at MacKerricher State Park in Mendocino County, the sheriff’s office said.The US Weather Prediction Center warned that “Numerous flash flooding events are possible,” adding: “Many streams may flood, potentially affecting larger rivers.”In burn-scarred areas near Los Angeles, including Altadena, mudslides were reported where vegetation destroyed by January wildfires left hillsides unable to absorb rain, CBS News reported.(Footage by Grace Hie Yoon/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
