SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California rivers fed by this winter's massive Sierra Nevada snowpack have been turned into deadly torrents, drawing warnings from public safety officials ahead of the Memorial Day weekend's traditional start of outdoor summer recreation.
At least seven people, including two children, have died or gone missing this spring in the grasp of powerful rivers plunging down from California's towering mountain range, and there have been numerous rescues.
kAm“%9:D J62C H6’C6 D66:?8 9:896C H2E6C[ 72DE6C H2E6C 2?5 4@=56C H2E6C[” D2:5 r2AE] yFDE:? $J=G:2[ 2 7:C6 DA@<6DA6CD@? :? $24C2>6?E@[ H9:49 :D 4C@DD65 3J E96 p>6C:42? #:G6C]k^Am
kAm$24C2>6?E@ 92D 2=C625J 925 a_ H2E6C C6D4F6D E9:D J62C[ ?62C=J 2D >2?J 2D 2== @7 a_aa[ $J=G:2 D2:5 %F6D52J 2D 4C6HD AC24E:465 DH:7E\H2E6C C6D4F6D @? E96 =@H6C p>6C:42? #:G6C ?62C :ED 4@?7=F6?46 H:E9 E96 $24C2>6?E@ #:G6C]k^Am
kAm|6>@C:2= s2J H66<6?5 :D EJA:42==J @?6 @7 E96 3FD:6DE[ :7 ?@E E96 3FD:6DE[ E:>6D @7 E96 J62C[ 2?5 “7=@2E:?8 5@H? E96 p>6C:42? #:G6C :D =:<6 2 BF:?E6DD6?E:2= $24C2>6?E@ 24E:G:EJ[” D2:5 z6? r2DA2C:D[ DA@<6DA6CD@? 7@C $24C2>6?E@ r@F?EJ C68:@?2= A2C<D]k^Am
kAm“!C@323=J E9@FD2?5D @7 A6@A=6 FD6 E96 C:G6C 7@C 7=@2E:?8 @C DH:>>:?8 @C C27E:?8[ H92E 92G6 J@F[ 2?5 E9:D H66<6?5 4@?5:E:@?D 2C6 D92A:?8 FA E@ 36 AC6EEJ 52?86C@FD[ D@ H6 92G6 366? FC8:?8 A6@A=6 E@ DE2J @77 E96 C:G6C[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmtG6? ;FDE H25:?8 2=@?8 E96 D9@C6 :D 36:?8 5:D4@FC2865[ D2:5 r2DA2C:D[ H9@ H2D 9@A:?8 7@C 49:==J H62E96C E@ 5:D4@FC286 C:G6C FD6] u@C642DE6CD AC65:4E65 >:=5 H62E96C :? E96 :?E6C:@C @7 }@CE96C? r2=:7@C?:2 6I46AE 7@C 492?46D @7 E9F?56CDE@C>D :? E96 >@F?E2:?D]k^Am
kAm(:E9 r2=:7@C?:2?D 6IA64E65 E@ 7=@4< E@ E96 @FE5@@CD[ E96 v@G6C?@CVD ~77:46 @7 t>6C86?4J $6CG:46D @? %9FCD52J :DDF65 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^?6HD]42=@6D]42]8@G^D276EJ\:?\E96\DF?\6I6C4:D6\42FE:@?\H96?\C64C62E:?8\@FED:56\E9:D\9@=:52J\H66<6?5^Qm3C@25 42FE:@?k^2m 23@FE 4@?5:E:@?D E96J >:89E 6?4@F?E6C[ :?4=F5:?8 72DE\>@G:?8 H2E6C[ 7@==@H:?8 >@?E9D @7 D6G6C6 H62E96C]k^Am
kAmp? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^42=:7@C?:2\DE@C>D\?6H\2E>@DA96C:4\C:G6C\c23a33b24ga2f3fh7fa_6e_4f3ah7h3fQm6IEC2@C5:?2CJ D6C:6D @7 DE@C>Dk^2m E9:D A2DE H:?E6C 3FC:65 E96 $:6CC2 C2?86 :? 566A D?@H E92E :D ?@H >6=E:?8[ DH6==:?8 r6?EC2= '2==6J C:G6CD E92E ;FDE >@?E9D 28@ H6C6 CF??:?8 =@H 3642FD6 @7 J62CD @7 6IEC6>6 5C@F89E]k^Am
kAm#6D6CG@:CD E92E DE@C6 H2E6C 2?5 AC@G:56 7=@@5 4@?EC@= >FDE C6=62D6 9:89 7=@HD :?E@ C:G6CD E@ >2:?E2:? C@@> 7@C :?4@>:?8 CF?@77] %92E[ :? EFC?[ 492?86D C:G6CD] $2?532CD 2?5 =6586D >2J 364@>6 DE66A 5C@A\@77D 2?5 =625 E@ 2? F?6IA64E65 A=F?86 :?E@ 4@=5 H2E6C]k^Am
kAm“xE 42? C62==J 8:G6 2 D9@4< E@ E96 3@5J[” D2:5 s2?:6= q@H6CD[ $24C2>6?E@ 4:EJVD 5:C64E@C @7 6>6C86?4J >2?286>6?E] tIA6CED D2J >FD4=6 4@?EC@= 42? 36 =@DE :? >:?FE6D]k^Am
kAm%96 C646?E EC2865:6D :?4=F56 2? g\J62C\@=5 8:C= 2?5 96C c\J62C\@=5 3C@E96C[ H9@ H6C6 DH6AE 2H2J 3J E96 z:?8D #:G6C @? $F?52J] %96 8:C=VD 3@5J H2D 7@F?5 E92E 27E6C?@@? 2?5 E96 3@JVD 3@5J H2D 7@F?5 ?62C=J a >:=6D Wb]a <:=@>6E6CDX 5@H?DEC62> @? |@?52J[ E96 uC6D?@ r@F?EJ $96C:77VD ~77:46 D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 72E2= 244:56?E @44FCC65 6G6? E9@F89 3@E9 E96 z:?8D 2?5 $2? y@2BF:? #:G6CD 92G6 366? @C56C65 4=@D65 E@ C64C62E:@?2= FD6CD D:?46 |2C49 `c]k^Am
kAmx? E96 $:6CC2 ?@CE962DE @7 $24C2>6?E@[ 2 >2? H2D DH6AE 2H2J 3J E96 p>6C:42? #:G6C @? pAC:= ah[ EH@ 52JD 27E6C !=246C r@F?EJ 2FE9@C:E:6D 7:CDE :DDF65 H2C?:?8D] w:D 3@5J H2D 7@F?5 uC:52J :? 2 =2<6 >:=6D 2H2J] p?@E96C >2? H9@ G2?:D965 :? E96 C:G6C @? |@E96CVD s2J C6>2:?D >:DD:?8]k^Am
kAm!=246C r@F?EJVD >6DD28:?8 23@FE E96 C:D< :D 3=F?E] “x7 E96 AF3=:4 5@6D?VE =:DE6? E@ @FC H2C?:?8D E9:D J62C[ A6@A=6 2C6 8@:?8 E@ 5:6[ >@C6 A6@A=6 E92? H6VG6 D66? @G6C E96 =2DE 76H J62CD[” D96C:77VD $8E] z6G:? vC:77:E9D D2JD :? 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A=246C]42]8@G^gha_^q6\#:G6C\(:D6QmAF3=:4 D6CG:46 2??@F?46>6?Ek^2m G:56@]k^Am
kAm%96 p>6C:42? #:G6C 92D ?@E 366? 4=@D65 E@ C64C62E:@? :? $24C2>6?E@ 3FE q@H6CD[ E96 6>6C86?4J >2?286>6?E @77:4:2=[ FC865 2== C:G6C FD6CD E@ H62C =:76 ;24<6ED[ 6G6? :7 E96JVC6 FD:?8 2?@E96C 7=@E2E:@? 56G:46]k^Am
kAmp>6C:42? #:G6C #27E #6?E2=D @7 DF3FC32? #2?49@ r@C5@G2 92D E6>A@C2C:=J DFDA6?565 :ED @A6C2E:@?D @? E96 =@H6C D68>6?E @7 E96 C:G6C 3642FD6 E96 C2E6 @7 7=@H :D E@@ 9:89[ 4@\@H?6C z6?E w2?D6? D2:5 %9FCD52J]k^Am
kAm“(6 567:?:E6=J F?56CDE2?5 E92E E9:D :D A2CE @7 E96 3FD:?6DD 2?5 E92EVD H9J H6 H@F=5 ?6G6C AFE AC@7:ED @G6C D276EJ[” w2?D6? D2:5] “(6VC6 9@A:?8 E92E 2== @7 @FC 8F6DED H:== 49@@D6 2 D276 E:>6 E@ 8@ D@@? H96? H2E6C 7=@HD 86E 324< 2 ?@C>2=[ C27E23=6 7=@H]”k^Am
kAm$J=G:2[ E96 7:C6 42AE2:?[ 6>A92D:K65 E92E A6@A=6 D9@F=5 :>>65:2E6=J 42== h`` :7 D@>6@?6 86ED :? EC@F3=6 :? E96 H2E6C]k^Am
kAm“x7 J@F 92G6 2 C@A6 @C :7 J@F 92G6 2 =:76 ;24<6E E92E J@F 42? E9C@H E@ E96>[ 5@ E92E[ 3FE 5@ ?@E 8@ :? E96 H2E6C 27E6C E96> 3642FD6 J@F H:== 364@>6 2 D64@?5 G:4E:>[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmx? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^42>A8C@F?5D\4=@D65\42=:7@C?:2\J@D6>:E6\?2E:@?2=\A2C<\7=@@5\E9C62E\D?@HA24<\>6=ED\4e_5hed4d_5_5_h_`cb7g5dcabb_5ha`Qm*@D6>:E6 }2E:@?2= !2C<k^2m[ H2E6C72==D 92G6 366? E9F?56C:?8 H:E9 CF?@77 3@F?5 7@C E96 |6C465 #:G6C] %96 A2C< 92D 25G:D65 G:D:E@CD E@ <66A E96:C 5:DE2?46 7C@> 2== H2E6CH2JD 2?5 DE2J @77 D=:4< C@4<D]k^Am
kAm“(6 D9@F=5?’E 92G6 E@ D2J :E[ 3FE 5@ ?@E ECJ E@ H256[ DH:>[ @C 7=@2E @? 2?J C:G6CD @C 4C66<D[” E96 A2C< D2:5 G:2 u2463@@<]k^Am
kAm(:E9 DF>>6C 2AAC@249:?8[ E96 z6C? r@F?EJ $96C:77VD ~77:46 @? uC:52J A=2??65 E@ 42CCJ @FE 2 C:EF2= :?E6?565 E@ H2C? A6@A=6 23@FE E96 D@FE96C? $:6CC2VD ?@E@C:@FD k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^32<6CD7:6=5\7cddg5adedc2_74ga3`cb3ge6a2c7`64Qmz6C? #:G6Ck^2m[ H9:49 4@F?ECJ =686?5 |6C=6 w2882C5 42==65 “2 >62? A:646 @7 H2E6C” :? 9:D D@?8 “z6C? #:G6C]”k^Am
kAmp D:8? 2E E96 >@FE9 @7 E96 z6C? #:G6C r2?J@?[ H9:49 E2==:6D E96 ?F>36C @7 =:G6D =@DE :? E96 C:G6C D:?46 `heg[ :D FA52E65 6249 DAC:?8 E@ 255 562E9D E92E @44FCC65 @G6C E96 AC6G:@FD `a >@?E9D] %9:D J62C[ E96 E@E2= H2D E@ 36 C2:D65 7C@> b`f E@ bad]k^Am
k9C ^m
kAmp?E4K2< C6A@CE65 7C@> {@D p?86=6D]k^Am
Let the news come to you
Get our free email newsletters — latest headlines and e-edition notifications.
