California residents have yet to recover from the storm that hit them last week, and yet another element is moving over the southern part of the state. Authorities warn of heavy rains, floods and landslides.
Nearly 120,000 buildings remain without power in California, according to data released on Monday by PowerOutage.com, which monitors electricity in the US and Canada. The power outage follows a violent storm that hit the American state last week. The element was accompanied by heavy rainfall and strong winds. There was flooding and landslides.
“More than 4,100 crews are working to rectify the faults, including the areas most affected by the storms,” ​​PowerOutage.com reported.
Another storm
According to experts from the US National Weather Service (NWS), this is not the end of the dangerous weather, as a new storm is moving over southern California. It will bring heavy rainfall, floods and landslides.
“Expect widespread power outages, downed trees and severe driving conditions,” the NWS tweeted. “Now is the time to prepare if you haven’t already!” she added.
Violent weather fatalities
At least 12 people have died in California over the past 10 days as a result of severe weather, California Governor Gavin Newsom said at a news conference. Six people died on Sunday.
Among the fatalities was a two-year-old child who was killed by a tree (sequoia) that fell on a caravan.
US President Joe Biden has approved California’s request for a state of emergency.
Flood threat
El Dorado, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and Alameda counties have issued evacuation warnings or recommendations. They justify this with the possibility of flooding and other dangers. On Sunday evening, more than 34 million people in California were alerted to flood warnings and more than 30 million about the possibility of excessive rainfall. The storm alert affected 28 million people.
Downpours. “The rain was falling very loudly”
A strong storm hit California on Wednesday, January 4. One of the cities particularly affected by the element is Santa Cruz. High waves destroyed buildings close to the shore. According to the residents, the element was so strong that it detached one of the houses from the foundations, moving it several meters and blocking the road in the housing estate. At least one bridge and one pier were severely damaged.
In Mendocino County, waves broke through the door of a historic lighthouse. The ground floor where the museum is located has been flooded, the Mendocino Voice newspaper reported.
We heard strong gusts of wind. The rain was falling terribly loud. I could hear things falling over on the porch all the time. The street has basically turned into a river because there is a steep hill here. All the water was draining off,” said Santa Cruz resident Sean Berry.
Downpours in California Reuters
High waves in Santa CruzReuters
Damage on the coast of Santa CruzReuters/Instagram @TerryWayPhoto
In San Francisco, a severe storm caused local flooding, landslides and subsidence. The local branch of the NWS said on Thursday that in the city center December 26 to January 4 was the wettest 10-day period since 1871. Rainfall of 262 liters of water per square meter was recorded.
Atmospheric river and cyclone bomb
Such extreme weather in California is the result of the overlapping of two phenomena – an atmospheric river and a cyclone bomb. An atmospheric river is an extensive, short-lived wind tunnel that transports huge amounts of water vapor from ocean waters. Reaching land, it drops rapidly in the form of heavy rain or heavy snowfall. A bomb cyclone, on the other hand, is defined as an extensive system of low pressure, characterized by very strong winds and bringing heavy rainfall.
According to research, climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of these types of events, bringing downpours and strong winds, interspersed with long periods of severe drought, Reuters reported.
Cleanup is underway in California after heavy rains and stormsReuters
Reuters, tvnmeteo.pl, CNN, PAP
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO