CBS News
California storms cause flooding, mudslides across the state as record rainfall hits West Coast
Record rainfall in Southern California has led to flooding, mudslides, power outages and other damage as an atmospheric river slams the area.
More rain is expected today, the National Weather Service said Tuesday morning, with flood warnings in effect for parts of Southern California. Snow is also expected in high-elevation areas.
Ethan Swope / AP
President Biden spoke with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday morning, promising to provide impacted areas with federal support. Some FEMA resources in the state have already been pre-staged to help with the emergency response, the White House said.
Record rainfall soaks Southern California
Parts of the state have seen over a foot of rain, with more coming. Overnight, about a half an inch of rain fell per hour in the Southern California region. Since Sunday, the area has seen about three-quarters of the amount of rain it normally receives annually. As of Monday evening, Bel Air had received 12 inches of rain, while Beverly Hills saw nearly 8 inches and downtown Los Angeles collected 7inches of rainfall, CBS Los Angeles station KCAL reported.
There were flash flood warnings in effect Tuesday morning from the Santa Monica Mountains to the Hollywood Hills and Griffith Park and the cities of Malibu and Beverly Hills, where torrential rain created a waterfall down a mountainside, according to KCAL.
The rain will begin to lighten on Wednesday, and a system near Alaska could lead to the end of the storm by Thursday. After the storm finally leaves the area, no more rain is expected in the state for at least the next 10 days.
Ethan Swope / AP
Heavy snow is also expected in mountain ranges around the West. By Thursday, ranges including the Sierras in California, the Wasatch in Utah, the Sangre de Cristos in Colorado and the Tetons in Wyoming are expected to see between one and two feet of snowfall. Winter weather advisories are in effect across the region, the National Weather Service said.
Floods and mudslides lead to evacuation warnings, closed roads
Because of all the rain in Southern California, the soil can no longer sop up more moisture, leading to runoff in the area. In Culver City, an evacuation warning was issued for the Upper Crest neighborhood after mudflows were reported behind several homes. Residents in the area were urged to start making preparations to flee, KCAL reported, and an emergency shelter has been established for those in need of somewhere to go.
Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP
In Ventura County, both sides of the Pacific Coast Highway were closed overnight because of “storm-related erosion” that washed out a shoulder lane on Monday. High tides may lead to more damage. Motorists have also been advised to avoid State Routes 23 and 27 in the Santa Monica Mountains because of mudslides and flooding in the area. Instead, travelers should use U.S. Highway 101.
At least three deaths confirmed by officials
The storm has led to at least three confirmed deaths, officials said. A man in Yuba City died when he was struck by a falling redwood tree in his backyard. One person in Boulder Creek was killed by a falling tree while in their home, and in Sacramento County, a man was struck and killed by a tree on Sunday, local media reported.
Noah Berger / AP
CBS Sacramento station KOVR reported that a 5-year-old girl was nearly killed when a tree crashed through her family’s home on Sunday, but the child was rescued at the last moment.
“I think we’re all just still in shock,” the child’s grandmother told the station. “My granddaughter, she didn’t even want to come back here. … I am just glad we came out of it alive.”
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CBS News
Kamala Harris will speak with “60 Minutes” tomorrow. Here’s what to know for the interview.
Voters will get the chance to hear from Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday as she presents her case for why she should be president in a “60 Minutes” election special.
For decades, “60 Minutes” has featured both Republican and Democratic nominees for presidents, but this year, former President Donald Trump backed out after previously indicating he would be on the show. Correspondent Scott Pelley, who’d been set to interview Trump, will instead travel to Arizona’s Maricopa County, home to more than 60% of Arizona’s voters and a critical battleground in a key swing state.
One thing is certain about the election; with the U.S. deeply involved in both the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, whoever wins on Nov. 5 will become a wartime president.
What Harris will discuss
Israel’s war started one year ago after Hamas launched a surprise terror attack and correspondent Bill Whitaker will discuss the ongoing war with Harris.
Harris will also discuss the economy, immigration, her record as vice president and the differences between herself and Trump.
Democratic vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz will also appear.
Whitaker joined the Democratic ticket on the campaign trail this week to gain insight into their platform’s priorities and values, and what the candidates believe voters should know.
Why Trump pulled out of the “60 Minutes” interview
Leading up to the candidate hour, Trump, through campaign spokespeople, was the first candidate to accept the “60 Minutes” request to be interviewed for the special, according to CBS News. It had been agreed that both candidates would receive equal time during the broadcast.
Trump last sat down with 60 Minutes in 2020. He walked out during the interview with Lesley Stahl. Trump referenced the incident on Tuesday night at a Milwaukee press conference when asked about his decision not to participate in the Oct. 7 “60 Minutes” election special.
“Well, right now, I went to – they came to me and would like me to do an interview, but first I want to get an apology, because the last time I did an interview with them, if you remember, they challenged me on the computer,” Trump said. “They said the ‘laptop from hell’ was from Russia, and I said it wasn’t from Russia. It was from Hunter, and I never got an apology, so I’m sort of waiting. I’d love to do ’60 Minutes.’ I do everything.”
The Republican nominee for president emphasized that he felt he was owed an apology from “60 Minutes.”
“Let’s see if they do it. I wouldn’t mind doing 60,” Trump continued. “I’ve done ’60 Minutes’ a lot.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung said that Trump’s team had not agreed to an interview.
“Fake News,” Cheung said in a post on X. “60 Minutes begged for an interview, even after they were caught lying about Hunter Biden’s laptop back in 2020. There were initial discussions, but nothing was ever scheduled or locked in. They also insisted on doing live fact checking, which is unprecedented.”
Previous Trump, Harris appearances on 60 Minutes
Trump previously sat down with “60 Minutes'” Mike Wallace in 1985, Pelley in 2015 and Lesley Stahl twice in 2016, first in July of that year and then again in November of 2016. He also spoke with Stahl again in 2018 and 2020.
Harris previously sat down with Whitaker last year. She also was interviewed by Norah O’Donnell, “CBS Evening News” anchor and “60 Minutes” contributing correspondent, in 2020.
How to watch the “60 Minutes” election special
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