Biden approves emergency declaration for California as 131K remain without power
National Weather Service cautioned Sunday that damaging winds will return, more outages expected
Americans fight to recover from winter storm
Fox Weather’s Katie Garner gives the latest update on the major winter storm affecting Americans over the holiday season on ‘Fox Business Tonight.’
President Biden approved an emergency declaration for the state of California on Monday as more than 131,000 customers remain without power from deadly storms that pounded the state over the past week.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was authorized to mobilize and provide equipment and resources to alleviate the impacts of the severe winter storms, according to the White House.
Last week, officials in California ordered evacuations as hurricane-force winds, surging surf and heavy rains rolled in. The deadly storm caused flooding, mudslides and knocked out power to tens of thousands of residents.
At least 12 people over the past 10 days were killed, according to Reuters.
NEARLY 180K CALIFORNIA HOMES, BUSINESSES WITHOUT POWER AMID DEADLY STORM
A tree collapsed and ripped up the sidewalk damaging a home in Sacramento, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Kathleen Ronayne / AP Newsroom)
As of 11:30 ET on Monday, more than 131,000 homes and businesses were still without power, according to PowerOutage.US. That's down from the more than 180,000 homes and businesses that were left without power last Wednesday.
The storm was the latest in a series of so-called atmospheric river storms to reach the drought-stricken state.
CALIFORNIA SHERIFF'S OFFICE SHOW EXACTLY WHY NO DRIVER SHOULD IGNORE ROAD CLOSED SIGNS
Over the weekend, the National Weather Service warned that "damaging winds will return" Sunday evening into Monday as the next storm approaches.
Multiple blocks of the Aptos Beach Flats neighborhood are flooded in Aptos, Calif., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Nic Coury / AP Newsroom)
"The next and most potent storm of the series will bring yet another round of heavy rain on already flooded rivers & saturated soils, high winds that may topple trees/power lines, and heavy snow on top of an enormous snowpack," the NWS tweeted.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Officials are also advising against travel in northern California on Monday morning due to heavy rain, snow and damaging winds.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.