Heavy rains cause mass flash flooding throughout Southern California, Thursday into Friday morning, videos of which have gone viral on social media.
A significant storm hit Southern California, moving eastwards into the Four Corners area throughout Friday, bringing more flash flooding, snow, and potentially storms as it moves into the interior through the Christmas weekend, the National Weather Service wrote on Friday. Footage of the flooding went viral across social media, showing the insane risks people took to escape the rising waters.
Powerful West Coast storm triggers torrential rains, sparking flash floods in #SouthernCalifornia
VC: @vvdreaa#Storm #Flood #CAwx #California #Oxnard #UnitedStates #Flooding #FlashFlood #Rain #Weather #viral #Climate pic.twitter.com/d9Pb7kT6B3
— Earth42morrow (@Earth42morrow) December 22, 2023
In one video, a passenger can be seen fleeing their vehicle by climbing into another as the floodwaters rose in Santa Barbara. This was closely followed by another clip of cars driving through the rain and canals that formed down roadways in the area.
Communities in California and Arizona remain under flood watches and face mudslide threats as torrential rain from a major storm system pounds the area. pic.twitter.com/fWDTeMIpc6
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) December 22, 2023
Another video, taken at night, shows waters pouring down the road in Oxnard. “It was awful, it was a nightmare, it was pouring cats and dogs. Everything was flooded,” one resident told a CBS breaking news report. (RELATED: ‘Complicated’ Storm System To Hit For Christmas. Here’s What You Need To Know)
Apparently, the waters rose so fast that many had to be pulled to safety due to the sudden onslaught of water. Many homes have been damaged, mudslides have been reported, and roadways have washed away entirely in some places. The chaos comes just one year after massive flooding and high snowfall claimed the lives of at least 18 people across the state.