Damage continues to mount from a powerful atmospheric river storm that has drenched Southern California for three days with historic amounts of rain.
Widespread flooding and hundreds of mudslides have been reported across the Los Angeles metro area, destroying several homes and submerging vehicles.
The slow-moving storm that parked itself over the region on Monday could linger into Wednesday, the National Weather Service warned. Scattered showers and some possible thunderstorms would bring light to moderate rain, but there was still the threat that many places could see brief, fierce downpours dumping a half-inch to an inch (1.3 to 3 centimeters) of rain in an hour.
Authorities warned people to remain on high alert and most of Southern California remained under flood watches. Swollen and fast-moving creeks and rivers “increase the risk for drowning and the need for swift water rescues,” the weather service said.
The storm plowed through Northern California over the weekend, killing three people who were crushed by falling trees, then lingered over the south. It was the second storm fueled by an atmospheric river to hit the state over the span of days.