California’s Relentless Storms Bring Destruction and Death

For weeks, a relentless string of storms has devastated California, turning rivers into gushing flood zones and claiming at least 17 lives. The state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, has confirmed that the death toll is likely to grow. The storms have also forced thousands of people to evacuate from towns with histories of deadly mudslides.

The seaside community of Montecito, home to Prince Harry and Oprah Winfrey, was ordered to flee after a mudslide killed 23 people and destroyed over 100 homes five years ago. The latest storms have brought new challenges to the area, with authorities warning of potential mudslides and rockfalls.

Meanwhile, a five-year-old boy remains missing after being swept away by floodwaters in Paso Robles. His parents were driving when their truck became stranded, and the boy was washed away. Rescuers searched for him for seven hours before calling off the operation due to dangerous water levels.

Throughout the state, tens of thousands of people are under evacuation orders, and more than 100,000 are without power. The California natural resources secretary, Wade Crowfoot, has confirmed that at least 17 people have died in the storms, including a pickup truck driver and a motorcyclist who were killed when a eucalyptus tree fell on them on Highway 99.

In Sacramento, two unhoused people were killed over the weekend when trees fell on their tents. Relatives and friends have called for more beds in local warming centers to protect unhoused residents during the coming storms.

The storms have also brought significant disruption to daily life, with schools and public transit systems shut down in some areas. In Santa Barbara, a local news station captured footage of a man kayaking down a flooded city block. In Los Angeles, a sinkhole swallowed two cars, and Union Station was inundated with floodwater.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, sewers and sewage treatment plants have been overwhelmed by rain, prompting warnings not to jump in puddles. Nearly 250 trees have toppled across San Francisco due to the storms.

As the state continues to face severe weather, Newsom has warned that the storms are far from over. “We’re not out of the woods,” he said. “We expect these storms to continue at least through the 18th of this month. We expect a minimum three more of these atmospheric rivers.”

The federal government has issued an emergency declaration to support storm response and relief efforts in over a dozen counties. Despite the challenges, it’s clear that Californians face a long and difficult road ahead as they work to recover from the devastating effects of the storms.