Crushed by falling trees. Drowned in floodwaters. The deadly toll of California storms worsens
LOS ANGELES — 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.
As a series of storms continues to pummel California, officials say the havoc is a testament to the unexpected ferocity of extreme weather. By Tuesday evening, at least 17 people have been killed in circumstances directly related to a train of atmospheric rivers that has inundated the state since New Year's Eve, bringing the death toll from the storms higher than the last two wildfire seasons combined.
"What we're seeing is absolutely a result of weather whiplash," said Brian Ferguson, deputy director of crisis communication at the California Office of Emergency Services.
The deadly weather is foiling evacuation plans and straining the state's aging infrastructure. Officials say the storms highlight the way in which climate change is increasingly catching people off guard as the state swings from one extreme weather event to another, leaving little time to prepare.
