California Storm Claims Nine Lives, Causes Widespread Destruction
The deadliest storm of the season, fueled by an atmospheric river, has resulted in nine fatalities across California, including deaths from fallen trees and car wrecks.
- Nine people across California have died due to the season's most significant storm, including four from fallen trees in Northern California and two from car wrecks in Southern California.
- The storm, intensified into a bomb cyclone, brought dangerous winds and historic rains, causing power outages, road closures, and flooding.
- Record-breaking rainfall in Southern California triggered hundreds of mudslides, debris flows, and forced evacuations and water rescues.
- Among the victims were individuals killed by downed trees, car accidents, a drowning in the Tijuana River, and a hospice patient in San Luis Obispo County who died after a power outage.
- The storm was fueled by El Niño, human-caused climate change, and typical winter weather patterns, highlighting the increasing severity of weather events.
Los Angeles Times 