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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 9 January 2023
California hit by more storms, braces for potential floods

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — tial travel until the peak of
California was hit with more the storm has passed,” the
turbulent weather Sunday department said in a state-
as thunderstorms, snow and ment.
damaging winds swept into The wet weather comes af-
the northern part the state, ter days of rain in California
preceding another series of from Pacific storms that last
incoming storms and rais- week knocked out pow-
ing the potential for road er to thousands, flooded
flooding, rising rivers and streets, battered the coast-
mudslides on soils already line and caused at least six
saturated after days of rain. deaths.
The National Weather Ser- The first of the newest,
vice warned of a “relent- heavier storms prompted
less parade of atmospheric the weather service to is-
rivers” — storms that are sue a flood watch for a
long plumes of moisture large swath of Northern
stretching out into the Pa- and Central California with
cific capable of dropping 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cen-
staggering amounts of rain timeters) of rain expected
and snow. through Wednesday in the
In the state capital, more already saturated Sacra-
than 230,000 customers mento-area foothills.
were without electricity In the Los Angeles area,
Sunday in the city of about scattered rain fell during
525,000 residents after gusts the weekend while stormy
topping 60 mph (97 kph) A tree collapsed and ripped up the sidewalk damaging a home in Sacramento, Calif., Sunday, conditions were expected
Jan. 8, 2023.
knocked trees into power Associated Press to return Monday, with the
lines, according to the Sac- potential for up to 8 inches
ramento Municipal Utility concrete sidewalk up with ramento office said the re- where the swollen Rus- (20 cm) of rain in foothill ar-
District. it. gion should brace for an sian River was expected eas. High surf was expect-
Joey Kleemann was listen- Cracks in the roof meant even more powerful storm to overspill its banks in the ed through Tuesday, with
ing to the winds howling rain streamed into her din- system to move in late Sun- coming days. large waves on west-facing
shortly after midnight, won- ing area throughout the day and early Monday. The state Department of beaches.
dering whether she should night. She’s hoping to get “Widespread power out- Transportation warned mo- Since Dec. 26, San Fran-
move her car, when she a tarp over the damaged ages, downed trees and torists to stay off mountain cisco received more than
heard a “gigantic, thump- area in anticipation of difficult driving conditions roads after closing a stretch 10 inches (25 centimeters)
ing, crashing sound” as a more showers. will be possible,” the office of U.S. 395 in Mono County of rain, while Mammoth
massive tree fell onto the “I just had a feeling with said on Twitter. due to heavy snow, ice Mountain, a popular ski
Sacramento home where the winds. They were scary Evacuation warnings were and whiteout conditions area in the Eastern Sierra,
she’s lived for 25 years. winds,” she said. “Mostly I in place for about 13,000 along the Eastern Sierra. received nearly 10 feet (3
The gusts were strong focused on: it could be so residents of a flood-prone “With the severe nature of meters) of snow, the Na-
enough to rip the tree up much worse.” area of Sonoma County this storm, Caltrans is asking tional Weather Service
from its roots, pulling the The weather service’s Sac- north of San Francisco, all drivers to limit nonessen- reported.q

New Mexico delegation seeks changes

to wildfire aid rules

Mexico is more rural, has the damages and repairs limitations on damages,
higher poverty rates and a needed to move forward the lack of a clear appeals
high percentage of Span- and receive the compen- process and leadership of
ish speakers. sation as authorized by the team that will oversee
The delegation also said Congress,” the delegation the claims process.
many residents are still wrote. In their letter, U.S. Sens.
reeling from the emotion- Congress has approved Ben Ray Luján and Martin
al, financial and physical nearly $4 billion for victims Heinrich and Reps. Teresa
The Calf Canyon/Hermit Peak Fire burns in the mountains near
Pecos, N.M., on May 25, 2022. tolls of the Hermit’s Peak- of the 2022 fire so far, and Leger Fernández, Mela-
Associated Press Calf Canyon Fire and that state officials have ac- nie Stansbury and Gabe
post-fire flooding has been knowledged that the re- Vasquez pointed to lan-
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New ter to FEMA on Thursday as a big concern for the covery process will be long guage that caps compen-
Mexico’s congressional the federal agency pre- mountainous areas. and challenging. sation for the replacement
delegation says the U.S. pares to wrap up public “By providing thorough The New Mexico attor- of destroyed trees and
government should make comment on the rules. The guidance and adding ney general’s office also other landscaping at 25%
changes to rules proposed delegation noted that un- claims navigators early in has sought changes to of the pre-fire value. They
for processing damage like a more affluent part of the process, FEMA can en- the proposed rules. Then- said this does not take into
claims stemming from a New Mexico that was dev- sure that claimants have Attorney General Hec- account the degree of
historic wildfire sparked by astated by a government- the necessary resources in tor Balderas, whose term damage or the effort re-
forest managers. sparked wildfire in 2000, place to help them quick- ended in December, had quired to remediate the
The delegation sent a let- this part of northern New ly and accurately assess outlined concerns over damage.q