Biden issues disaster declaration for California over winter storms

An aerial view of the Los Angeles River swollen by storm runoff as a powerful long-duration atmospheric river storm, the second in less than a week, continues to impact Southern California on February 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. The storm is delivering widespread flooding, landslides and power outages while dropping heavy rain and snow across the region. Mario Tama/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by MARIO TAMA/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA /Getty Images via AFP)

LOS ANGELES – President Joe Biden has issued a disaster declaration for Los Angeles County and other counties in California for the severe storms that struck the state earlier this year and additional support is expected to arrive this week.

The declaration issued Saturday orders “federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms, tornadoes, flooding, landslides, and mudslides from January 31 to February 9, 2024,” according to the White House.

The declaration applies to Los Angeles County, Ventura County and the counties of Butte, Glenn, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Sutter.

Federal funding is available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and repair.

“California has secured a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration thanks to @POTUS for early February storms,” Gov. Gavin Newsom posted Sunday morning on social media. “This declaration brings in more resources for local communities across the state recovering from the widespread impacts of these storms.”

Andrew Grant of the Federal Emergency Management Agency was appointed to coordinate federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

California was impacted by a series of atmospheric rivers during the early February 2024 winter storms which brought multiple rounds of heavy precipitation, strong winds, mountain snow, and river and urban flooding across the state.

The first impacts were felt on Jan. 31, 2024, and the precipitation did not completely subside until Feb. 9, 2024, as reported by the National Weather Service (NWS).

In his initial request, Newsom reported that the February disasters cost the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) nearly $88 million. The damage in LA County alone was worth nearly $53 million, according to FEMA.

Newsom cited the seven-inches of rainfall in downtown Los Angeles between Feb. 4 and 5 as the cause of debris flow and mudslides. The Department of Public Works responded to 553 fallen trees and branches, 1,180 reports of potholes as a result.

NWS also confirmed two tornadoes touched down in San Luis Obispo County on Feb. 7, 2024, which uprooted trees, some of which fell onto buildings, vehicles and powerlines, causing more damage. The high winds also caused damage to multiple structures. (With CNS report)