California's bad weather updated to 'Complex Emergency'

[ensho]

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php


Situation Update No. 5
On 22.01.2010 at 04:30 GMT+2

This event changed the category from Thunderstorm (TC) to Complex Emergency (CE).

Torrential rain and strong winds pummeled California for a fourth consecutive day Thursday as officials warned of tornados, flash floods and mudslides in areas ravaged by last year's wildfires. Around 800 homes in hilly suburbs surrounding the Los Angeles area have been issued evacuation orders as the fourth storm to hit the region this week arrived, causing power outages and transport chaos. The National Weather Service said the storm could produce from one to two inches of rain in coastal and valley areas and two to four inches in the foothills and mountains. Scattered thunderstorms "will occur and may become severe this afternoon," possibly generating waterspouts, small tornadoes and 60-mile-per-hour winds, according to an NWS advisory. Later Thursday the NWS issued a tornado warning for parts of southern California and Arizona. Around 3,000 homes in Los Angeles were left without power after electricity was knocked out late Wednesday, the Department of Water and Power said. A flash flood warning would remain in effect until late Thursday, officials in Los Angeles County said. Residents of some 800 homes near hillsides denuded of vegetation in massive wildfires last year had been told to evacuate although around 25 percent of those had refused to leave. "The Los Angeles County Fire Department is anticipating that a significant mud flow and debris flow is likely today," Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Deputy John Tripp told a morning briefing. Meanwhile Southwest Airlines suspended flights in and out of Los Angeles Airports citing unfavorable wind conditions. On Wednesday two Southwest jets were hit by lightning as they arrived at Burbank Airport before touching down safely. The storm caused huge waves at Southern California beaches, where several piers were closed. San Diego's famous SeaWorld marine mammal park was closed because of torrential rain.

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Hours of heavy rain fell Thursday on saturated Southern California as the fourth Pacific storm in a week came ashore, triggering dire warnings by authorities that huge mud flows were likely in foothill communities and residents of endangered homes should obey evacuation orders. A teen was rescued from a rushing river but a companion remained missing in Orange County, and the fate of a motorist spotted under tornado-toppled power poles in the state's remote southeast corner was unknown. Travel snarls mounted as major highways were closed by snow and tornado damage, and strong winds grounded flights at several airports. Another tornado left a trail of damage in a community northwest of Los Angeles. The siege of storms has led to several deaths statewide and street flooding in urban areas, and has turned the region's often-dry river and creek channels into raging torrents. Muddy water gushed down hills but there were no immediate major incidents, and officials appeared concerned the lack of massive debris flows from wildfire burn areas was misleading for residents. Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Deputy John Tripp bluntly warned at the outset of the storm that significant debris flows were likely and probably would block potential rescue attempts. "For those people that are still in the homes and are in those areas of threat, it's very likely we will not be able to reach you," he said. By nightfall, the storm's main rainfall was passing but forecasts warned of volatile conditions through the night. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said the city's evacuation orders remained in effect. "While the worst of the last few storms is behind us, there still is a significant threat from thundershowers that are forming off the coast and have the potential to bring lightning, hail, waterspouts and small tornados," he said.

In the upper reaches of suburban La Canada Flintridge, where mountainsides rise sharply from the backyards of homes, authorities put pink ribbons on the mailboxes of residents who stayed behind so they would know where to search in the event of a catastrophe. One person who stayed was Delos Tucker, a retired geologist who has lived in the community since the homes were built in 1962. "I'm just gambling it's not going to happen," he said. "Let's hope I'm right." As an overnight lull gave way to more rain at midmorning, public works crews shoveled mud from yards, driveways and gutters along Ocean View Boulevard in suburban La Canada Flintridge. The neighborhood was otherwise all but deserted, with newspaper and mail deliveries cut off. The county's extensive flood-control system was working, but many of the basins designed to catch debris-laden runoff from fire-scarred mountains were full and evacuations remained necessary, said Gail Farber, the Los Angeles County Public Works director. The basins are located on streams and other water courses emerging from the mountains to intercept surges of mud, boulders and other debris while allowing water to flow into open channels and underground storm drains that empty into the ocean. The new storm system shut down Interstate 5 in the snowy Tehachapi Mountains north of Los Angeles for the second day in a row. And the California Highway Patrol closed part of Interstate 80 in the Sierra Nevada after about a dozen cars and trucks crashed in a heavy snowstorm. In Orange County, firefighters pulled a 14-year-old boy from the swollen Santa Ana River, but an 11-mile search failed to find a companion the rescued boy said was also in the water. Orange Fire Department Capt. Ed Engler the search was called off by evening after efforts to spot the youth from bridges and helicopters.

-snip update 4,3,2,1-
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[GodlessBiker]

1. What's next? Pull your hair out run around like a chicken with no head emergency?

The rain has been unbelievable. I hear Pat Robertson said none of this would be happening if the people of El Segundo, CA hadn't made a pact with the devil many years ago.