The swollen waters of the Los Angeles River Photo: AA/ABACA / Abaca Press / Profimedia
The American state of California declared a state of emergency on Wednesday in Los Angeles and several communities in the south, due to torrential rains that raised fears of possible dangerous floods around Christmas, reports AFP on Thursday, taken over by Agerpres.
A massive rain corridor known as an “atmospheric river” that carries water vapor stored in the tropics is expected to cross California later this week, bringing heavy rain, snow and wind.
“Widespread flooding is expected,” the National Weather Service warned in its latest bulletin, issued Wednesday, adding that “lives and property are at great risk.”
The southern region of the state, where the amounts of precipitation could equal those that fall in a few months, was placed under maximum alert until Thursday morning. Governor Gavin Newsom announced on the X network that he had declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles and several other counties, mainly in Southern California.
On Wednesday morning, some streets in Los Angeles were blocked by fallen trees, and thousands of people were left without power. City police announced Tuesday that more than 200 homes had been ordered to evacuate and that large areas of the city were under evacuation warnings. The coastal city of Santa Monica and the Los Angeles basin were classified as the areas with the highest risk.
Gale with winds of 80 km/h
Rain intensified Wednesday morning, and a tornado warning was briefly issued for three Los Angeles County cities before being lifted. Also, shelters were set up for residents who received an evacuation order. Evacuees had already begun arriving at some shelters, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The US West is being hit by an 'atmospheric river'. Extreme weather phenomena in California
The luxurious neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades and Malibu, which were devastated by strong fires almost a year ago, are under alert due to the risk of landslides.
Due to the risk of overflowing rivers, the authorities advised the population to avoid traveling by car in the affected areas of Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States, with 3.9 million inhabitants. The Los Angeles Times reported on particularly congested roads. Traffic on some roads was restricted.
Also, snow is forecast until Friday in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where 30 centimeters of snow has already accumulated this week.
According to forecasts, the storm would bring wind gusts of more than 80 km/h across California. “The combination of increasing soil saturation and strong winds could bring down trees and power lines,” the National Weather Service warned.
Some neighborhoods in Los Angeles are still recovering from the wildfires that, in January 2025, killed 31 people and destroyed more than 16,000 buildings.
