Additional Coverage:
California Batters Down as I-5 Shuts Amid Record Flooding
California is currently grappling with a severe winter storm, leading to widespread flooding, mudslides, and dangerous travel conditions across the state. In a significant development, Interstate 5 has been fully closed due to major roadway flooding, causing considerable traffic delays during one of the year’s busiest travel periods.
Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Wednesday as torrential rainfall, powerful wind gusts, and even snow in higher elevations swept across California. The extreme weather has resulted in debris-filled mudslides and flash flooding, prompting the deployment of emergency crews and equipment for evacuations and water rescues. The California National Guard remains on standby to assist with the ongoing storm response.
Southern California’s coastal and valley regions are expected to receive between 4 and 7 inches of rain through Friday, following the Christmas holiday, according to the National Weather Service.
A video shared on the Citizen app depicted a section of I-5 near Penrose Street in the northeast San Fernando Valley completely submerged under several feet of water around noon on Wednesday. The California Highway Patrol announced around 2 p.m. that the freeway would remain closed “until further notice” as Caltrans crews work to address the extensive flooding. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported among drivers caught in their vehicles on the freeway.
However, the storm has claimed at least one life in Northern California due to flash flooding. Authorities are also investigating a fatal car accident in Sacramento, while the L.A. Fire Department successfully rescued a man trapped in a drainage tunnel in northwest L.A. amidst the severe weather.
Forecasters are characterizing this event as the wettest Christmas in recent California history, marking a year of extreme weather for the state, which also experienced historic wildfires in January.
Ironically, some of the same Southern California counties devastated by earlier wildfires have now faced evacuations due to the current storm. Firefighters assisted with at least 380 home evacuations in Los Angeles County on Tuesday, and over 150,000 state residents remain without power, according to Pacific Gas and Electric Co. Residents near the burn scar zones from the Airport Fire in Orange County were also evacuated as a precautionary measure.
Forecasters warn that road conditions are likely to worsen as atmospheric rivers intensify the storm in the Los Angeles area throughout the afternoon, though some relief is anticipated by the evening. Minor flight delays have also been reported at airports from Los Angeles to San Francisco due to the challenging weather conditions.