Roads washed out, rivers flood as deadly storm pelts California and forces evacuations

FRESNO, Calif. — California’s deadly storm season turned even deadlier Friday as the first of two atmospheric river storms descended on the state, prompting widespread evacuation orders as it flooded creeks and rivers and dropped warm, heavy rain atop the state’s near-record snowpack.

One person, who has not been identified, was killed when a portion of a roof collapsed at a coffee distribution warehouse in Oakland, authorities said. He was a worker at the facility, where at least one other employee was injured in the collapse.

The fatality comes after a series of nine back-to-back atmospheric river storms in January contributed to nearly two dozen deaths, including people killed by falling trees and surging stormwater. Heavy snowpack in recent weeks contributed to at least 13 deaths in the San Bernardino Mountains, where many residents were trapped for days behind walls of snow.

At least two recent deaths have been confirmed as storm-related, according to Nancy Ward, director