Death Toll Rising as Rain, Flooding, and Mudslides Persist in California

A drone view of a tree that fell during a winter storm with high winds in Sacramento, Calif. on Jan. 8, 2023. (Fred Greaves/Reuters)

Californians have yet to see relief in recent weeks due to harsh weather that has produced massive flooding, and thousands statewide remain under evacuation orders as of early in the week.

At least three people were killed when a tree fell on two automobiles on Highway 99 near Visalia, California, southeast of Fresno. Hundreds of thousands of people in the state were still without power on Jan. 10 as storms persist, as AccuWeather reported.

The National Weather Service has forecasted extensive rainfall through the week. At the Regional Operations Center for the National Weather Service Western Region Headquarters, meteorologist David Lawrence told The Epoch Times that while there might be some temporary relief, Northern California will see more rain and snow soon after.

“Widespread rain and mountain snow ... will briefly taper off ... but will return to much of northern California later Wednesday, continuing through the weekend and at least early next week as several additional storms work across the state,” Lawrence said. “Over southern California, dry weather is expected Wednesday through Thursday night, with additional rounds of rain and high elevation snow redeveloping over the weekend and at least early next week. With the ground saturated in many areas, some additional flooding is possible over the next 7 days, while higher elevations are likely to experience additional significant snowfall.”

Potential Danger for Residents

AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Mike Doll warned that while there will be a bit of a break in Northern California, the rain will, overall, persist for several more days, which could increase flood risk for residents.

“Anyone that lives in an area that is near a river, near a creek, especially should be prepared to evacuate in the case where water levels are rising. There’s a threat for those rivers and creeks to flood,” Doll told The Epoch Times. “If anyone lives near or on a hillside, they should be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice. A mudslide, landslide, or rockslide, those can happen at any time, even at a period where it’s not raining, but especially since they’ve been having so much rain there can be some weakening of the ground where some of it could give way starting a landslide or rockslide.”

A truck drives through a flooded intersection of E Bolivar Street in Salinas, Calif., on Dec. 27, 2022. (Nic Coury/AP Photo)

The meteorologist noted that rivers are being constantly monitored by weather professionals who are keeping tabs on the gauges. Particularly the Salinas River and surrounding agriculture could be in danger due to the risk that the river will reach major flood stage at 28 feet by Jan. 11 early in the day and possibly crest at 29.5 feet in the afternoon.

According to Doll, due to the storms that have been pummeling the area over the last few weeks, the incidents of trees on roads, washed out roads, mudslides, and rock slides impacting roadways are likely in the hundreds.”Residents need to be mindful that some roads might be closed for long periods of time and their commutes might be longer than what they are used to because they have to take a new route to where they’re going,” Doll said.

“Highway 1 has a large section closed south of Big Sur and they’re not sure when that’s going to reopen. And in that part of central CA where it’s closed there are no other east/west roads where it’s a north/south road. Residents should be aware of closures that can cut them off.”

The Next Week of Storms

Some believe that the storms could bring an end to the state’s chronic drought. However, officials indicated on Tuesday that it could need a lot more rain and snow to make that happen.

The AccuWeather meteorologist forecasted that the stormy patterns across California will persist through at least the middle of next week. Heavy rain impacting Northern California with a new storm arriving on Jan. 11 is expected to bring several rounds of rain going through the day into on Jan. 13 into the evening. The state will likely see another storm rolling into the area on Jan. 14 as well.

Cars drive by a sign warning of storms hitting the Bay Area in Sausalito, California, on Jan. 7, 2023. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

For those in areas where storms remain active over the next week, the National Weather Service recommends that residents pack a “go bag” to help evacuate quickly if the need arises. Residents are also advised to keep insurance policies in a safe place and take photos of each room in their home before any potential storm damage can change the appearance or structure.

A few more recommendations from the National Weather Service: Have extra supplies at home in case closed roads or power outages last for several days. Consider your pets’ needs, and purchase any essential drugs that could be needed for family members. Register for your county’s reverse 911 service, keep an eye on the weather forecast and take action if warnings are issued. Lastly, the weather service recommends that anyone experiencing severe weather heed the advice of local officials.