As a series of storms continues to pummel California, officials say the havoc is a testament to the unexpected ferocity of extreme weather.
A toddler crushed by falling trees. A 5-year-old swept away by floodwaters before his mother’s eyes and still missing. Three bodies recovered from inside or near submerged vehicles on a rural stretch of freeway.
“The pure volume of water we’ve received in such a small period of time after having no water for a number of years puts stress not just on us as human beings, but our biological infrastructure all across the state,” Ferguson said. “Part of it that we cannot ignore is that our environment is rapidly changing around us.”Thousands of miles of California levees are feeling the strain of age, extreme drought and punishing atmospheric rivers.
“We also haven’t had a lot of practice,” he added. “We have so much messaging on wildfires and earthquakes ... but this is the first time we’ve had a flood like this in five years, so there is some muscle memory and support for local communities that we need to do to help the public understand what they can do to help keep themselves safe.”
Indeed, that same rapidity is repeating itself with the floods. Toward the end of 2022, officials forecast a, signaling another dry winter in much of California. The arrival of the brutal series of atmospheric rivers came as something of a surprise.
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