Mudslides buried cars and homes up to their windows in a California mountain town as a powerful storm system brought the wettest Christmas in decades to the southern part of the state.
As much as 12in of rain fell across the area on Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service, triggering flooding and washing out roads.
Local authorities issued an evacuation warning for Wrightwood, California, a town of just under 5,000 people around 80 miles (130km) north-east of Los Angeles, as images showed mud and debris engulfing homes and vehicles. The San Bernardino county fire department on Thursday night stated that one person was injured in the slide, but that weather conditions were expected to improve and there was no ongoing safety threat.
The town remained under an evacuation warning on Friday morning with some surrounding roads closed, according to the county’s emergency service system.
There was still a risk of more flash flooding and mudslides on Friday around Los Angeles, the National Weather Service warned, even as the rain began to ease up.