Massive storms it engulfed California on Friday and left at least two people dead. In northern California, drone footage captured the extent of the damage on Highway 1 near Big Sur, where a landslide occurred. atmospheric river of moisture removed part of the historic road.
The California Department of Transportation released footage of washing drones on Highway 1 in Rat Creek, about 15 miles south of Big Sur.
The highway had been closed along the Big Sur coast since Tuesday and evacuation warnings were issued in parts of Monterey County and in areas of landfall scarred by wildfires last year.
The storms were fueled by an atmospheric meteorological system of the river that caused flooding and mud and debris flows, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents, CBS San Francisco reported.
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an emergency proclamation Friday for Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties.
The storm threw 10 feet of snow into the mountains. On Thursday, a dead skier was found near a chairlift and trails crossing at Mammoth Mountain. The ski resort posted on Instagram that a slide was triggered in an enclosed area of the mountain.
According to The Associated Press, another death was reported near the Mexican border, where seven people were trapped in a flooded storm drain.
Prior to the storm, California had seen a period of severe to extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
In Modesto, for example, there had only been 1.73 inches of rain between October 1 and January 24, according to the National Weather Service in Sacramento. On January 28 it had increased to 5.17 inches of rain. The normal total for the period is 6.42 inches of rain.