Watch: California hit by 'bomb cyclone'-induced 'atmospheric river'; at least 2 people killed in US storm

The American state of California on 5 January 2023 was hit by an 'atmospheric river' brought in by a 'bomb cyclone', which is a rotating area of rapidly falling air pressure.

Flash flooding, heavy rains, and strong winds led to the deaths of at least 2 persons. The casualties included a child whose house was hit by a falling tree, and a 19-year-old woman whose car skidded and hit a utility pole.

Tens of thousands of people went without electricity a day after authorities had ordered evacuations in high-risk coastal areas. Residents in other places had been told to stay at home.

Waves that were forecast to reach 25 feet (7.6 metres) battered the Santa Cruz County coastline south of San Francisco, swamping homes at the mouth of Soquel Creek in the seaside city of Capitola and knocking out a section of its historic wooden pier.

The storm dumped rain in parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, where the region had been under flood warnings. In Southern California, the storm was expected to peak on Thursday, with Santa Barbara and Ventura counties likely to see the most rain, forecasters said.

“We anticipate that this may be one of the most challenging and impactful series of storms to touch down in California in the last five years,” said Nancy Ward, director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

(With AP inputs)

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