California has been hit by a devastating Christmas storm that resulted in the deaths of three individuals. The state experienced intense flooding, uprooted trees, and enormous waves during a time when travel and holiday activities were at their peak.

This destructive weather event was fueled by a moisture-heavy atmospheric river, impacting regions from Northern California down to San Diego County.

The severe conditions caused mudslides and forced emergency evacuations, leaving many families celebrating Christmas Day under flood alerts, without power, and facing road blockages.

Officials have confirmed the fatalities occurred in various parts of the state as rescue teams worked tirelessly through the holiday period to assist residents caught in rising floodwaters and landslides.

In San Diego, tragedy struck on Christmas Eve morning when a 64-year-old man lost his life after a large tree fell on him amid the storm’s high winds and heavy rain in the City Heights area.

The victim, identified by relatives as Roberto Ruiz, had gone outside to move his vehicle when the tree collapsed, fatally injuring him. Family members shared this information with NBC7 San Diego.

Local television footage showed the 75-foot tree crumpled across a sidewalk at 3805 Marlborough Avenue. 

Earlier in the week, a person died in rising floodwaters in Redding on Sunday after water overwhelmed parts of the city. 

Thousands of California residents found themselves under evacuation orders on Christmas morning, as disastrous floods and debris flows closed down major highways

Cars are buried in mud after a series of storms. The aftermath is pictured on Christmas Day in Wrightwood, California

Mud is cleared by tractor after a series of storms on Christmas Day in Wrightwood, California in San Bernardino County

Police officers attempted to rescue the individual, who was trapped inside a vehicle as the water rose, but were unable to reach them in time, city officials said.

On Monday, a woman in her 70s was killed along the Northern California coast when a powerful wave knocked her off rocks at MacKerricher State Park, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

The deaths came as the storm dumped months worth of rain in just days, overwhelming drainage systems and sending torrents of mud and debris through communities still scarred by wildfires at the start of this year.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a state of emergency on Wednesday as flash flood warnings and evacuation orders spread across the region. 

Authorities reported widespread road closures, water rescues and door-to-door evacuations as torrents of mud and debris surged through burn-scarred terrain unable to absorb the rainfall.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department ordered evacuations for multiple mountain communities up to the Los Angeles County line Wednesday evening, warning residents of life-threatening mudslides and rushing water. 

Similar orders were issued for the Palisades, Sunset, Hurst and Ridgewood areas, where Los Angeles police officers personally knocked on doors of homes deemed most vulnerable. 

Officials told The Associated Press that about 380 homes were placed under evacuation orders.

A car drives through a flooded road on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles, California

The storm forced hundreds of evacuations in burn areas while threatening flooding and travel delays through the Christmas period for much of the state

A pedestrian carries an umbrella while walking on a path at Alamo Square Park, in San Francisco

People look toward traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge from the Golden Gate Overlook in San Francisco as the storm rolls in

Rain clouds loom over San Francisco as seen from the waterfront in Emeryville, California before a strong storm system makes its way to the Bay Area

By Christmas morning, skies briefly cleared giving first responders a narrow window to regroup before the next wave of rain arrived.

‘It’s blue skies, no rain, so we’re using this time to reinforce our troops in the area to get ready for the next band of rain we’re expecting this afternoon and into tonight,’ San Bernardino County Fire Department Public Information Officer Christopher Prater told the New York Post around 9:30am. 

Prater said no rescues were conducted overnight, but firefighters continued to patrol flood-prone areas and worked to clear debris-clogged roads.

The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings across much of Southern California, urging residents to seek higher ground and avoid traveling through floodwaters. 

Warnings were in effect for Santa Barbara, Malibu and Topanga, while coastal areas faced continued threats of flooding and high winds.

In one dramatic rescue, the Los Angeles County Fire Department saved a 50-year-old man who was stranded on the hood of his car with his cat and dog in the Sunland-Tujunga neighborhood. 

Heavy rain and clouds cover downtown Los Angeles, as seen from Echo Park

The Los Angeles river with a high water level is seen from Elysian Park forcing hundreds of evacuations in burn areas

Storm clouds are seen gathering over Elysian Park in Los Angeles, California

A man wearing a rain poncho walks at LA’s Elysian Park

A driver goes though a road closed for flooding in Valencia, California

Part of California State Route 138 is seen washed away from flooding outside of Wrightwood

Damage is seen to a closed California State Route 138 after flooding washed part of the road away

A man walks a dog in the rain on South Belardo Road in Palm Springs, California

An unusual sight as cloudy skies and rain falls in Palm Springs, California

Snow comes down in Mammoth Mountain Lakes, California

Snow is seen coming down in the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area resort

Evacuation orders were issued for the area shortly afterward as water and debris surged through local streets.

Meteorologists warned the storm was far from over. Another powerful system rolled into Southern California on Thursday, raising fears of renewed flooding and debris flows – particularly in wildfire burn zones stripped of vegetation.

‘This is shaping up to be one of the wettest Christmas periods in years,’ said Tom Kines, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather. 

‘The good news is once we get past tomorrow, the rain will definitely ease up out there, and there will be a stretch of sunnier and dry weather for several days.’ 

Statewide, the impacts stretched far beyond Southern California. 

More than 99,000 customers were without power, according to PowerOutage.us, while mudslides buried roads in mountain towns like Wrightwood, about 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles. 

Michael Burdick prepare sandbags around his home in Altadena, California

Burdick is seen unloading the sandbags out of the trunk of his car to try and prevent flooding

A tourist walks on the rain near the Hollywood sign that has the view blocked by clouds and heavy rain in Los Angeles

City workers try to remove a tree that felt on a wall next to the Hollywood Water Reserve 

A man checks the damage caused by driving through a flooded road on La Cienega Boulevard o

Hundreds of residents have been evacuated, while more than 99,000 homes were without power on Christmas Day, according to PowerOutage.com

California officials have warned holiday travelers to avoid the roads due to the series of winter storms which are continuing to bring flash flooding and even tornadoes

Stormy weather struck California on Christmas Day, prompting hundreds of evacuations

County firefighters said they rescued people trapped in vehicles when mud and debris rushed down roads leading into the town. 

With electricity out, a local gas station and coffee shop running on generators became gathering points for stranded residents and holiday travelers.

‘It’s really a crazy Christmas,’ said Jill Jenkins, who spent the holiday in Wrightwood with her 13-year-old grandson, Hunter Lopiccolo.

 The family nearly evacuated after water washed away part of their backyard but ultimately stayed. 

‘We just played card games all night with candles and flashlights,’ Lopiccolo said. 

Officials warned that burn scar zones from January’s wildfires including parts of Orange County affected by the Airport Fire remained at high risk for debris flows.

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in six counties, allowing additional state resources and first responders to be deployed. The California National Guard was placed on standby.

As Californians endured a storm-battered Christmas, the death toll continued to underscore the danger of the historic system.