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California Lashed by Holiday Atmospheric Rivers as Floods and Mudflows Leave Deaths and Widespread Damage

Officials warn saturated terrain will keep multiple hazards elevated.

Overview

  • Authorities and media report between two and four storm-related deaths, with counts still being reconciled after days of heavy rain and strong winds.
  • Wrightwood was among the hardest hit, where debris-laden mudflows buried homes and cars, destroyed roads and bridges, and forced extended power outages.
  • Governor Gavin Newsom declared emergencies in six counties and mobilized resources, with National Guard assets placed on alert and local teams conducting rescues.
  • Evacuations and helicopter extractions continued as responders pulled people and large animals from flooded homes and vehicles in San Bernardino County.
  • Infrastructure impacts stretched statewide, including flooded stretches of Interstate 5, airport disruptions such as a closure in Santa Barbara after runway flooding, tens of thousands of power outages, and avalanche concerns in the Sierra Nevada.