Los angeles: Residents in southern California faced torrential rain and widespread flooding on Christmas Eve, as authorities warned drivers to avoid the area and urged residents to evacuate for safety.
According to Thai News Agency, storms caused by atmospheric riverbeds have drawn moisture from the Pacific Ocean and swept across the region, resulting in heavy rainfall, with some areas recording more than 25.4 millimeters of rain per hour. The U.S. National Weather Service forecasts that the Christmas Eve storm will continue through Friday, posing a danger to drivers during the Christmas holiday travel season and posing a life-threatening risk from flash flooding.
Authorities in Los Angeles asked approximately 130 households to evacuate for safety reasons due to the risk of landslides and debris from a year ago’s wildfire being scattered by the storm. In addition to torrential rain and flooding on Christmas Eve, the storm also brought strong winds that toppled trees and power poles, and could bring snow in higher mountainous areas.