Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in eight counties, including Los Angeles and Orange County, after intense rain and flash floods in Southern California caused by a strong atmospheric river.
According to CNN, LA and San Bernardino County also issued their own declarations of emergency.
Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Lindsey P. Horvath stated, “Los Angeles County is taking action to protect our communities during the storm and to recover from any impacts that may result.”
After the floods on Sunday, more than 11 million people in California are at high risk of potentially fatal flooding, and by Tuesday, it is predicted that some areas of the Los Angeles area would receive about half a year’s worth of rain.
Due to severe rain and strong winds from a violent atmospheric river, over 900,000 power users in California had disruptions. Officials predicted that this would be one of the “most dramatic weather days in recent memory.”
