1 dead in California flooding as region braces for more wet weather
- - 1 dead in California flooding as region braces for more wet weather
N'dea Yancey-Bragg, Cheri Carlson and David Benda, USA TODAY NETWORK December 23, 2025 at 6:56 PM
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At least one person has died in northern California after heavy rains caused flooding and shut down roads.
The Shasta County Coroner's Office on Dec. 22 identified the person who died as Richard Michael Wilsey, 74, of Redding, California. Redding Mayor Mike Littau told the Record Searchlight, part of the USA TODAY Network, Wilsey was stuck in a vehicle and called emergency dispatchers. Wilsey told dispatchers that water was starting to come into his vehicle before the phone went dead, Littau said.
“An RPD (Redding Police Department) officer swam out into the water — broke the windows and pulled the victim back to shore,” Littau said, adding that CPR was done but medical personnel were unable to revive Wilsey.
South-central parts of Shasta County, including the Redding area, were under a flash flood warning after as much as 8 inches of rain fell on the city and surrounding communities.
Police, fire and other city crews "worked throughout the night responding to power outages and flooding incidents, and rescuing multiple individuals who became stranded as water levels rose rapidly," the city said in a statement.
More rain, flooding coming to California
Redding police Sgt. Paul Slagle said authorities are now bracing for the next round of wet weather.
Up to 2 inches of rain is predicted to fall in Redding as the next system rolls into northern California on Dec. 23, the National Weather Service in Sacramento said. Flood watches are in effect for several parts of northern and central California, including Shasta County, through Dec. 26.
Heavy areas of rain are also expected to develop over Southern California on Dec. 24, the weather service said. The precipitation there will cause severe and widespread flash flooding, prompting flood watches for swaths of the region.
"In addition, areas that normally do not experience flash flooding will flood," the weather service said. "Furthermore, lives and property are in great danger."
Evacuation warnings issued in Ventura County
Officials in Ventura County have issued evacuation warnings and advisories, urging residents to stay alert and prepare for heavy downpours, according to the Ventura County Star, part of the USA TODAY Network.
The strong winter storm is expected to peak overnight Dec. 23 and into Dec. 24, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds. Another burst of rainfall could douse the region the night of Christmas Eve and into Christmas Day. Showers could continue through Dec. 27.
Coastal and valley areas could see 4 to 8 inches of rainfall over just five days. Foothill and mountain spots could receive up to 12 inches, and rainfall rates could exceed an inch an hour at times.
"This is a lot of rain that's going to stack up over multiple days," said Ariel Cohen, meteorologist-in-charge at the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 1 dead in northern California as more rain, flooding continues
Source: “AOL General News”
