California Copes With Heavy Rain, Flooding In Latest 'Atmospheric River'

"LOS ANGELES - Emergency officials in several California counties spent Friday patrolling levies and swollen rivers as an "atmospheric river" storm drenched the already-sodden state with torrential rains, causing floods that washed out roads and prompted evacuations.

The latest deluge from dense streams of Pacific moisture sweeping California's skies soaked some mountain areas still clogged with piles of snow dumped by a recent spate of paralyzing blizzards, while bringing even more snow to higher elevations.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said it was investigating what role, if any, late-February snowstorms may have played in the demise of at least eight people, most of them elderly, found to have died alone while snowbound in their homes over the past two weeks."

Steve Gorman and Brendan O'Brien report for Reuters March 12, 2023.

SEE ALSO:

"Before Disastrous Flood, Officials Knew Pajaro River Levee Could Fail But Took No Action" (Los Angeles Times)

"Battered by Destructive Flooding, California Braces for Another Atmospheric River Storm" (Los Angeles Times)

"Monterey County Levee Breach Triggers Massive Flooding, Prompts Evacuations, Rescues" (Los Angeles Times)

Source: Reuters, 03/13/2023