Biden declares disaster as California takes another storm-pounding

US President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster in California as the latest in a succession of storm systems blew into the state.
California is ravaged by the latest in a barrage of storms that have left more than a dozen people dead

WASHINGTON - US President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster in California, as the latest in a  succession of storm systems blew into the state, bringing heavy flooding to already waterlogged regions and threatening snowfalls of up to two metres.

The latest system was expected to bring "heavy lower-elevation rain, significant mountain snow, and strong winds," with "another surge of Pacific moisture" expected Monday, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

It predicted "disastrous flooding" across the lower Salinas River valley, a key agricultural region south of San Francisco Bay.

READ: 'Disastrous' flood warning in California as another storm hits

Biden "declared that a major disaster exists in the State of California and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides," the White House said in a statement.

The declaration makes federal funding available for relief to affected people, including temporary housing and repairs.

At least 19 people are known to have died from storm-related causes in the last three weeks.

Among them were drivers found in submerged cars, people struck by falling trees, and a husband and wife killed in a rockfall.

READ: California downpours won't fix decades of drought: scientists

Governor Gavin Newsom warned Californians that they were not in the clear yet: "We're not done," he said Saturday after visiting impacted residents.

Urging them to remain vigilant, he said Californians should continue to exercise "common sense over the course of the next 24 to 48 hours."

Nearly 26 million Californians remained under a flood watch Saturday evening, according to the NWS, with tens of thousands under evacuation orders and advisories.

The storms of recent weeks were originally welcomed -- coming after years of drought -- but by now have brought "disastrous" flooding, officials have said. 

Paid Content