Rescuers recovered the body of a man from a partially submerged vehicle in Lancaster on Friday amid flooding tied to an ongoing atmospheric river, according to an emailed statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) shared with Newsweek.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department located the victim inside a blue sedan near 58th Street East and Avenue H-10 after a helicopter spotted the vehicle, the LASD said. Authorities have not yet released the man’s identity; the county coroner’s office is expected to confirm it.
Officials said the discovery came as severe flooding associated with a major atmospheric river swept across California over the Christmas holiday, triggering road closures, evacuations, and emergency rescues. NBC News reported that at least four deaths have been linked to the storm system.
What happened in Lancaster
The Los Angeles County Fire Department found the partially submerged sedan at about 9:45 a.m. local time on Friday, officials said. The vehicle was not visible from the roadway due to deep water and mud in the area. Deputies and fire personnel responded and found the man deceased inside the car.
Other deaths reported during the storm
State and local officials also reported several other deaths during the Christmas-week weather system. In Redding, a motorist died after becoming trapped in a submerged car and calling 911 before rescue attempts on Monday, the Associated Press reported.
In Sacramento County, sheriff’s deputy James Caravallo was killed in a single-car crash while driving to work on Christmas Eve. Local outlet KCRA reported officials believed weather conditions may have contributed, with wet roads at the time.
In addition, 61-year-old Roberto Ruiz Salmeron died after being struck by a tree branch and going into cardiac arrest, according to NBC San Diego.
What is an atmospheric river?
Atmospheric rivers are narrow corridors of moisture-rich air that can carry large amounts of water vapor from the tropics. The National Weather Service cited atmospheric river conditions as the primary driver behind California’s weeklong storms, which brought moderate to heavy precipitation across valleys, foothills, and mountains and raised concerns about flooding, mudslides, and other hazards.
What happens next
Officials said the investigation into the Lancaster death remains open. Flood watches stayed in effect for the Los Angeles area through Saturday, and the National Weather Service and local authorities urged residents to avoid non-essential travel and follow evacuation orders in areas where water levels remained high.
