Powerful Pacific storm enters into Southern & Central California

In the United States, a powerful Pacific storm blew into Southern and Central California with wind-driven heavy rains, triggering rescues, calls for evacuations, toppling trees and power lines and disrupting travel and outdoor events.

With the storm feeding on an atmospheric river of moisture stretching far out into the Pacific, precautionary evacuations of homes in some neighbourhoods were requested due to the



potential for mudslides and debris flows.Numerous flights were delayed or cancelled at the state's airports yesterday.

Using ropes and inflatable boats, firefighters rescued seven people from the Sepulveda basin, a recreation and flood-control area along the Los Angeles River. The National Weather Service said it could end up being the strongest storm to hit Southern California since January 1995.