The recent atmospheric river phenomenon in Southern California has wreaked havoc across the region and is now linked to a concerning case involving a missing child.
Emergency crews were dispatched to investigate reports of a six-year-old child sighted in the L.A. river, as detailed by FOX 11. Despite extensive searches conducted from Paxton to Arleta, no trace of the child was found. Subsequently, the search efforts have been halted, with officials focusing on verifying the origin of the initial claim.
The atmospheric river has significantly impacted the L.A. river, causing it to swell by at least 10 feet and accelerate to speeds upwards of 15 miles per hour. Given these conditions, there is a high likelihood that if a child was indeed spotted in the river, they may have been swept away by the strong currents.
The entire region has been battered by relentless rainfall, with precipitation levels surpassing historical records with each passing day. Notably, downtown L.A. experienced a deluge of 4.10 inches of rain on Sunday, eclipsing the previous record of 2.55 inches set in 1927, as reported by the National Weather Service (NWS).
Furthermore, NWS data revealed that Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) received 1.76 inches of rain, shattering the previous record of .56 inches. Similarly, Long Beach saw its highest rainfall since 1975, totaling 1.50 inches.
In addition to the record-breaking rainfall, various areas across Southern California are grappling with landslides and flooding. Shortly after Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency for California, reports of weather-related incidents began to surface.
In Studio City, mudslides threatened two homes, necessitating the evacuation of 16 residents and their pets. Meanwhile, in Tarzana, motorists found themselves stranded in floodwaters measuring two to three feet deep. The widespread impact of the atmospheric river underscores the urgent need for continued vigilance and preparedness amidst severe weather conditions.