A historic storm that hit California with half the rainfall normally seen in a year has killed at least nine people and washed away dozens of homes.
Dramatic photos show properties hanging from a cliff in Santa Barbara County, where 45 people were displaced after erosion on a cliff caused the structure to collapse.
Hundreds of landslides were also recorded, especially in southern parts where the wettest storm in the area’s history occurred, with more than a foot of rain falling in some areas, including the Hollywood Hills.
Emergency services had to act quickly after vehicles trying to drive through the waves became stuck.
Most of Southern California was under a flood watch and the weather service warned people to remain on high alert as swollen and fast-moving creeks and rivers increase the risk of drowning.
At least nine people have been killed by the historic rainfall that hit California in recent days
Homes in Santa Barbara were nearly washed away by the heavy rains
Flood warnings are in effect for most parts of Southern California, the weather service warned people to remain on high alert as swollen and fast-moving creeks and rivers increase the risk of drowning and stranded vehicles
Parts of the state recorded half the rainfall they normally see all year round in just a few days. Pictured: A vehicle is partially submerged on a flooded street in Santa Barbara
Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said Tuesday that crews had responded to more than 400 mudslides and that five buildings were considered uninhabitable since an atmospheric, river-driven storm moved into the region this weekend.
The storm continued to bring new dangers Tuesday, with the National Weather Service issuing a rare tornado warning for parts of inland San Diego County.
“This has truly been a historic storm for Los Angeles,” said Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Los Angeles bureau, noting that the city just recorded its third-wettest two-day stretch since the beginning of registration in the United States. 1870s.
The storm tore through Northern California this weekend before moving south. At least nine people were killed LA times reports, with fatalities due to fallen trees or aquaplaning vehicles.
It was the second storm fueled by an atmospheric river — a weather pattern made of moisture plumes that can produce heavy amounts of rain — to hit the state within days.
Near the Hollywood Hills, flooding carried mud, rocks and household items downhill through Studio City, city officials said. Sixteen people were evacuated.
“It looks like a river that has been running here for years,” said Keki Mingus, whose neighbors’ homes were damaged. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Drake Livingston, who lives in the Beverly Crest neighborhood, said, “We looked outside and there’s five feet of running water, and it’s starting to seep through the doors.”
Evacuation orders were issued and eight provinces declared states of emergency ahead of the storm
In the Los Angeles area alone, the flooding caused more than 400 landslides
The worst of the rain fell on Monday, but a continued soaking Tuesday on the already saturated ground caused even more damage
Wind gusts of up to 120 km/h were recorded in parts of the Golden State. Pictured: A car was damaged by debris during a storm in Los Angeles’ Studio City neighborhood on Tuesday
Eight provinces declared a state of emergency after the series of winter storms brought high winds, damaging rain and heavy snow.
Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties were all affected.
Although rain on Tuesday was less than on Monday, the already saturated ground combined with a final soaking forecast on Wednesday could cause even more damage, experts warned.
However, evacuation orders were downgraded to warnings for homes in areas prone to flooding and slides, including a Los Angeles County canyon scarred by a 2022 fire that left little or no vegetation to hold the soil in place.
After a heavy cloudburst forecast for Wednesday afternoon or night that could bring several more inches of rain, Southern California was expected to begin drying out Thursday and heading for a sunny weekend.
But after back to back atmospheric riversIt doesn’t take much for water, mud and boulders to flow down vulnerable hillsides, experts warned.
“The ground is completely saturated and simply cannot hold any more water,” National Weather Service meteorologist Tyler Kranz said, even if the rain is light.