President Biden declares state of major disaster in flood-ridden California

Following the bad weather that hit California, US President Joe Biden declared a state of major disaster.

Here, the Los Angeles River on January 14, 2023. © AP/Damian Dovarganes

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

New bad weather is expected on Sunday after three weeks of unprecedented rainfall that killed at least 19 people in California.

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If California is used to extreme weather conditions, such a sequence is however out of the ordinary.

Since December 27,

the United States, causing flooding, landslides and mudslides.

On Saturday, a major flurry of rain — and mountain snow — further swept through many areas of the state, whose soils are already saturated with water. 

Power lines were hit, while fields and roads were flooded.

Nearly 26 million Californians were still under a flood alert as of Saturday night, according to the NWS, and tens of thousands of them have been ordered to evacuate.

Waves of heavy precipitation continues to beat California.

Heavy rain will continue bringing the threat of flooding and mudslides/landslides.

Hazardous travel due to heavy mountain snow and blowing snow from CA to CO.

pic.twitter.com/6LQXmxC6zh

— National Weather Service (@NWS) January 15, 2023

Joe Biden has therefore ordered federal aid to help residents and communities repair the damage caused by these severe winter storms, according to a statement from the White House. 

“

Atmospheric River

”

Especially since "

", warned at a press conference the governor of California Gavin Newsom, arguing that even if the rain decreased in intensity, the soils were waterlogged and the risks flooding therefore remained significant.

He called on Californians to remain vigilant after three weeks of deluge: “

»

A new '

', a narrow band in the atmosphere carrying huge amounts of moisture from the tropics, is expected Monday, a U.S. holiday, bringing '

', the Service warns. National Weather Service (NWS).

The NWS expects "

" in the lower Salinas River Valley, an important agricultural region south of San Francisco Bay.

Trapped by the waves

In the mountains, this precipitation translates into heavy snowfall, with more than a meter expected over the weekend in the Sierra Nevada, the authorities warning of the risk of avalanche and advising against any movement.

 At least 19 people have died since the start of this series of bad weather.

In particular, drivers were found in their cars trapped by the waves, people hit by falling trees, a couple was killed by a landslide and bodies were washed away by the floods.

However, the torrential rains of the past few weeks will not be enough to end the drought that has hit this western American state hard for two decades, according to specialists.

(

AFP)

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• Joe Biden