At Least 14 Dead In California Floods As Almost 200,000 Homes Are Without Power

Topline

At least 14 people have died and one child remains missing after parts of California were hit by severe storms that caused flash flooding and felled trees, as the National Weather Service warned the inclement weather is expected to persist over the next few days.

Key Facts

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the 14 deaths Monday, adding that the toll was higher than the number of deaths caused by “wildfires in the past two years combined.”

Earlier on Monday, a five-year-old boy was swept away by floodwaters in central California and remains missing as the police search for the child was paused due to “extreme weather conditions.”

In his press conference, Newsom urged California residents to remain “hyper-vigilant” as several days of severe winter weather lay ahead.

Following Newsom’s request, President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in California, opening the door for expanded federal support in dealing with the disaster.

As of Tuesday morning, more than 192,000 households and businesses in California remained without power, according to the tracker PowerOutage.us

What To Watch For

The situation is expected to remain dire for the next several days, with the National Weather Service warning that “no significant letup” is expected soon as heavy rains move to Southern California on Tuesday. The heavy rainfall raises the threat of flash flooding and mudslides across various parts of the state, including Los Angeles and San Diego. The agency also noted that the risk will be higher in regions scarred by earlier forest fires due to these regions having less vegetation. While parts of northern and central California will see some respite, this is expected to be short lived as they face “a never ending parade of strong wet Pacific systems,” the agency added.

Big Number

400-600%. That is the quantum by which the rainfall across California in the past few weeks has been higher than average according to the National Weather Service. One minor positive of these severe rains is that they will provide some relief from the persistent drought that has plagued the state over the past few years.

Key Background

Earlier on Monday, state officials ordered people to evacuate several regions that face the threat of flash flooding and mudslides. This includes the posh enclave of Montecito and nearby Santa Barbara County. Montecito is home to several prominent celebrities including Ellen Degeneres, Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, among others. Degeneres even posted a video on Twitter of what appears to be fast-moving flood water near her home, noting that she was advised to shelter in place as her home was on higher ground. In 2018, heavy rainfall in parts of Southern California caused severe mudflows that led to the death of 23 people in Montecito.

Further Reading

Evacuation Ordered For Celebrity-Filled Montecito As California Faces Historic Floods (Forbes)