Floods claim several lives
The western US state is hit by violent winter storms with heavy rain. According to media reports, 19 people have already died.
Flooded streets in Rio Del Mar: The storms have been going on for several weeks.
Photo: Lipo Ching (Keystone/11. January 2023)
Flooded roads are closed, towns have been evacuated, disaster relief workers are on duty non-stop: winter storms in California with heavy rain and strong winds continue to hit the US west coast state hard. The sustained rainfall has caused flooding across much of California.
The Monterey peninsula, south of San Francisco, could be partially cut off from the rest of the state, Sheriff Tina Nieto warned in a press conference on Wednesday evening (local time). “Some of the roads will be closed and you could be stuck on one side or the other.”
The authorities also urged residents of the low-lying areas along the Salinas River to flee their homes because of the flooding. Emergency services have been looking for a five-year-old boy since Monday. Flooding had swept away the family’s car, reported the US broadcaster CNN. The child’s mother was saved.
California is currently experiencing a third week of severe winter storms that have already claimed more than a dozen lives. According to US media reports, at least 19 people were killed, for example by falling trees, torrential water masses or in traffic accidents.
Also celebrity resort Montecito affected
Major roads were severely damaged and power outages occurred in many areas. The weather service warned Thursday of another series of storms that will bring heavy rain and bring snow to mountainous regions. The authorities called on the population to be careful when traveling to affected areas. Residents have also been instructed to follow evacuation orders.
At the beginning of the week, several towns in southern California were evacuated as a precaution. The town of Montecito was also affected, where Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, presenter Oprah Winfrey and other celebrities live. There were warnings of floods and mud and debris avalanches.
Residents have now been able to return to their homes, but further extreme weather could lead to similar measures, it said. There is a risk of flash flooding due to already wet soils, especially in areas previously affected by wildfires.
SDA/fal
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