Dec. 26 (UPI) — Three people are dead after storms and flash flooding in California over the Christmas holiday, and more are expected to disrupt flights this weekend.
Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy James Caravallo was killed in a single-vehicle crash on his way to work on Christmas Eve, NBC News reported. Richard Michael Wilsey, 74, of Redding died Sunday in severe flooding. Roberto Ruiz of San Diego died after a large tree branch fell on him, causing a heart attack.
Wrightwood, east of Los Angeles, got nearly a foot of rain. Rescue crews helped people trapped in or on the roofs of their homes.
Crews saw some very dire situations, said Christopher Prater of the San Bernardino Fire Department. Some were trapped in their homes by up to 5 feet of mud and water, he said.
In Woodland Hills, a neighborhood of Los Angeles, a large eucalyptus tree fell overnight, blocking a road. It may have taken out a power line, Eyewitness 7 reported.
One to 3 inches of rain is expected to hit California Friday. At least 32 million people were under flood watches in the state, including Los Angeles and San Francisco. Rain is expected to continue Friday morning, then will clear.
There were more than 900 flight delays and 500 cancellations across the country Friday as the east coast and midwest deal with snow and California is inundated with rain.
Clouds turn shades of red and orange when the sun sets behind One World Trade Center and the Manhattan skyline in New York City on November 5, 2025. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo