California Storm Updates: Flooding Causes Widespread Damage, More Rain On Way

Rescue Efforts Underway in Merced County

Rescue operations are underway in parts of Merced County, hit with severe flooding from the last storm.

The Merced Fire Department is using their aircraft rescue firefighting rig to pull residents stuck in an apartment complex to safety, according to a local reporter.

This is only the second time the department has used this tool during flooding.

The City of Merced issued an evacuation order for some areas Tuesday due to flooding risk from the overflowing Bear Creek. The city joined Merced County in declaring a local emergency to mobilize emergency crews together, city employee Jennifer Flachman told KGPE-TV.

Local officials placed sandbags and large barriers called "muscle walls" along the creek to prepare for the flooding, the station reported.

An evacuation center was opened at the Merced County Fairgrounds.

Woman Found Dead in Submerged Car in Sonoma County

As crews continue rescue and repair operations following severe storms across California, officials in Sonoma County recovered a body from a car submerged in floodwaters.

The Sonoma Sheriff's Office found the body of 43-year-old Daphne Fontino Wednesday in her car. Her vehicle was submerged in about 8 to 10 feet of water in the 6000 block of Trenton-Healdsburg Road in Forestville. Police had been searching for Fontino since Tuesday.

On Tuesday, dispatch received a 911 call from California Highway Patrol that a car was stuck in floodwaters, according to a statement from the Sonoma Sheriff's Office.

The caller reported there was water in the car, then the line disconnected. The sheriff's office said dispatch immediately tried to call back several times but there was no response.

Crews searched for the car until sunset, when it became too dangerous to continue.

At approximately 6 a.m. Wednesday, marine unit deputies and Sonoma County Fire Swift Water Rescue personnel returned to the scene to continue the search.

A submerged car was found at approximately 7:46 a.m. in floodwater about 100 yards off the road, according to the sheriff's office.

The office said it "sends our condolences to victim's family and friends during this challenging time."

Rain, Mudslides Carry Debris Across Central Coast

In addition to severe flooding, the winter storm has downed trees and left debris across the Central Coast.

The National Weather Service reports the Central Coast and Bay Area would receive more rain Wednesday as communities try to recover from the damage from recent storms.

One beach in hard-hit Santa Cruz was inaccessible Wednesday as it was covered with wood debris.

Pacific Gas & Electric crews are working across the coast to clear downed trees impacting powerlines.

One video, shot by a PG&E lineman, shows a tree taken down by a mudslide after its roots were loosened by the heavy rain this week.

PG&E said tens of thousands of customers remain without power in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Sonoma Counties.

Trees have fallen on some homes in Carmel Valley Village, located in Monterey County. Local reporters say crews are working to remove the debris.

Snowy Scenes at Yosemite National Park

The next round of storms is expected to dump even more snow in the Sierra Nevada.

The fresh powder is creating a beautiful scene at Yosemite National Park today. Beautiful winter scenes were captured at Half Dome and Yosemite Falls, courtesy of Yosemite Conservancy.

Up north, drivers are urged to use caution amid expected "hazardous" conditions today.

"Moderate to heavy snow will continue over the Sierra today," the National Weather Service Sacramento tweeted Wednesday. "Travel is not advised, but if you must travel, be prepared for hazardous driving conditions. Carry chains & expect major travel delays."

Trapped Ojai Residents Rescued by Helicopter

Trapped Matilija Canyon residents needed a helicopter rescue amid damaged roadways following the severe winter storm.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Department helicopter brought the nearly half-dozen stranded residences to Nordhoff High School Tuesday.

"It is a public service for residents who live there and would like to get out of the area," Captain Trina Newman of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department told the Ojai Valley News.

The storms over the weekend covered Matilija Canyon roads with rocks and mudslide debris, making them inaccessible.

Newman said a team was sent to contact residents around noon Tuesday. While the road is in tact, Newman said it could be "up in the area for a significant amount of time.

"There is so much water still coming down, they make a pass to clear it and it still comes down," she said.

Matilija Canyon resident Brian Briggs told the Associated Press, "we're all stuck out here.

Briggs said the canyon creek flooded yards and the surrounding hills, which were barren after the Thomas Fire in 2017. He said mudflows dragged debris into the creek.

Kevin Costner Misses Globes Win Due to Flooding

Actor Kevin Costner was unable to attend the Golden Globe Awards Tuesday night due to the flooding in Santa Barbara County.

Before the ceremony began, Costner posted a video on Twitter explaining his absence.

"I'm so sorry for everyone who might have been tuning in to watch the Golden Globes," he said. "Chris and I aren't going to be able to be there."

Costner said he had to pull his kids out of school Monday when he was blocked from returning home from floodwaters.

"This is the second time in five years that the freeway is flooded out," he said. "We found ourselves on the wrong side of the town and we couldn't get back last night. We couldn't even get back to the house this morning in time, with the freeways closed."

He added that "nobody's sadder than us that we can't be there."

Costner would go on to win the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a TV Drama for his role as John Dutton on Yellowstone.

At the ceremony, presenter Regina Hall accepted the award on Costner's behalf, noting that the actor had to "shelter-in-place" in Santa Barbara due to the "unprecedented weather and flooding."

When is the Next Storm in California?

Another storm system is headed towards the Bay Area and Central Coast today, bringing more rain and wind.

The Central Coast, especially parts of Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties, were hard-hit in the string of previous storms. There is still widespread damage in parts now bracing for another round.

About 20 homes were "severely damaged" by floodwaters earlier this week in Los Osos, located in San Luis Obispo County.

Another storm is expected to hit much of the state this weekend, including Central and Southern California. However, some parts of Central California are expecting more rain today.

A flood warning remains in effect for Merced County, which includes Planada. The town remains under an evacuation order as streets are flooded from the last storm.

Streets Underwater in Planada, 100 Cars Ruined

An evacuation order remains in effect for Planada after the Central California town was hit with severe flooding from the last storm.

Streets across the small town, located in Merced County, were underwater Tuesday. More than 100 cars were ruined from the flooding, Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke said, according to KFSN-TV.

The water level is beginning to recede, the Merced County Sheriff's Office said today, but continued to warn residents it is "unsafe to go back into flooded areas."

"We have deputies patrolling the evacuated areas to prevent trespassing and looting from these homes," the office posted on Facebook.

Some residents woke up to rising floodwater at their front doors yesterday, the station reported. While water is receding, more flooding is possible as two more storms head toward the area. A flood warning remains in effect for Merced County until Thursday morning.

Sinkhole Swallows Two Cars in Los Angeles

A massive sinkhole swallowed two cars in Los Angeles Monday amid the severe winter storm, leading to a dramatic rescue.

At approximately 7:15 p.m., a pickup truck drove into a large sinkhole on a street in the Chatsworth neighborhood in Los Angeles, landing on another car that had already fallen into the 15-foot hole.

There were two people inside the each of the two vehicles. The two pickup truck occupants were able to escape on their own, but firefighters were called to rescue the others.

Fire crews arrived at the scene at approximately 7:20 p.m. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the initial rescue attempt involved bringing ground ladders and laying them down to span the hole so crews could try to reach the victims. This attempt, however, was not successful.

Firefighters tried to stabilize the vehicle, but it was shifting and starting to roll with the sinkhole. The fire department said the entire road was compromised, so crews had to make an immediate rescue to save the lives of the two trapped occupants.

The rescued occupants only sustained minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital for evaluation, the LAFD said.

Officials said the road will remain closed for "an undetermined period" while city agencies evaluate the sinkhole and work on repairs.

Evacuation Order: Pajaro Area of Monterey County

Central Coast: Evacuation orders have been issued for the Pajaro area of Monterey County ahead of another storm.

The Monterey County Sheriff's Office issued the order early Wednesday, reminding resident "they cannot return home until evacuation orders are lifted."

Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo said there were "some close calls" on both sides of the Pajaro River throughout the night.

Crews worked all night long to avoid a "serious breach on our levees," Alejo tweeted Wednesday.

Several roads have been closed due to the order. Click here to see an updated evacuation map.

Search Resumes for 5-Year-Old Swept Away by Floodwaters

The search continues for a missing boy who was swept away by floodwaters earlier this week in San Luis Obispo County.

Kyle Doan, age 5, was driving with his mother just before 8 a.m. Monday near San Miguel when their truck became stranded in the floodwaters, according to Cal Fire/San Luis Obispo County Fire Department Assistant Chief Tom Swanson.

Bystanders were able to rescue his mother, but the boy was swept out of the vehicle and downstream, likely into a river, Swanson said.

The initial search Monday was paused after five hours due to "extreme weather conditions" that made it unsafe for first responders to continue their efforts.

Conditions remain extremely dangerous, as water levels are high and fast-moving, the sheriff's office said.

"While he has yet to be located, the search remains our top priority while weather conditions permit," the sheriff's office said in a press release. "We will continue to update the public with any information regarding this search."

The boy has not been declared dead, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Tony Cipolla said.

The office describes Doan as having short dirty blond hair and hazel eyes. He is four feet tall and 52 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black puffer jacket with a red liner, blue jeans, blue and gray Nike tennis shoes.