Winter storm in California: people are trapped under a 3-meter layer of snow without food and help

After a blizzard left parts of Southern California covered in up to 10 feet (3 m) of snow, emergency workers and volunteers were still trying to help dozens of residents and tourists on March 3 who were not used to such massive amounts of rain. The edition told in more detail The New York Times.

Photo: IStock

Although the sun returned to California on March 1, impressive mounds of snow still trapped people in their homes and cars in their driveways, preventing them from leaving Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Mountain, which are usually popular day trip destinations for skiers and snowboarders from Southern California. Many have run out of food and important medications.

Gas pipelines were damaged, officials said, leading to five fires in two days. When firefighters arrived to put out the blaze, they found the hydrants covered in ice.

On March 2, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in 13 counties affected by winter storms, including those containing Yosemite National Park, which was closed indefinitely, and Lake Tahoe.

On the subject: A winter storm in California set several records: even the Hollywood sign was covered with snow

Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the California Governor's Office of Emergency Management, said the mountains in San Bernardino County were especially treacherous not only because the week-long storm was unusually cold and strong, but also because many visitors may have underestimated its strength.

wow. Over 500 inches this season. #Laketahoe #california #snow #TahoePallisades pic.twitter.com/WhUuZyk45p

— Jen ☮️?????????? (@liliefleur) March 1, 2023

“This is a place that people can get to quickly from Los Angeles, so there are those who are not used to these kinds of risks and problems,” he said. “They may have been prepared for a few days of snow, but then they found themselves trapped.”

He noted that the narrow winding roads leading to mountainous areas can be difficult to navigate even on a good day.

The state sent snowplows, teams from the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and the California National Guard to help dig the snow.

CalDART, a network of pilots who volunteer to help with natural disasters, arranged for deliveries to those in need. Zachary Oliver, who owns boat repair and storage business On the Mountain Marine and Storage on Lake Arrowhead, said he helped coordinate the flights.

“It was food, medicine and baby products,” he said. “No one has any formula or diapers left - they are really needed here.”

The San Bernardino Sheriff's Department used helicopters to deliver boxes of prepared meals and other items to help people stranded in the mountains.

Trapped residents said they had no idea when they could get out. And those who escaped the storm were anxiously waiting at the foot of the mountains for their return.

David and Daphne Salas were grateful to be part of one of the first caravans to be admitted to Lake Arrowhead after spending the weekend out of town. In the fog, the couple followed the emergency lights of a truck delivering Stater Brothers products. There were many abandoned cars on their way.

When they got home, their neighbor Radley helped clear a space for the couple's car.

“We basically had to crawl up the mountain with our products like lizards,” Salas, 51, said. “Then I had to break through to the front door.”

Since then, the family has been trying not to lose heart looking at the three-meter icicles and trying to keep their dog, a pit bull named Sonny, from drowning in the snow. They are stretching their stocks.

❗Mammoth Lakes, California??#CaliforniaSnow

? #cartermurphy218 pic.twitter.com/OxM1eMkMb9

— ?????????35 (@QuakeChaser35) February 26, 2023

“It’s very beautiful, but dangerous,” Daphne said. “We can’t even go out to enjoy the snow.”

San Bernardino County officials are reassuring residents that help is on the way.

“We are with you,” Sheriff Shannon Dicus said. “We’ll dig you up.”

But he nonetheless stressed that the networks of state highways, country roads, and even driveways are like the arteries, veins, and capillaries of a large body, and acknowledged that it would take time to clean them up. Crews have made progress in laying a narrow path for vehicles along many of the roads, but have not been able to create enough space for vehicles to stop or pass. In many cases, they still need to break through the snow walls in order to create passages at each site for the exit of people and vehicles.

Officials said it could be at least another week before they allow access to mountain communities to anyone but local residents and emergency crews.

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Officials urged residents to stay where they can and stretch their food stocks as it is unclear when grocery stores will be able to operate as usual.

When Matt Zack arrived last week at Jensen's Finest Foods, the family-owned supermarket he co-owns, in Blue Jay near Lake Arrowhead, he knew snow was coming. The store had stocks of bread, milk, eggs, firewood and other products, and local residents began to buy them in bulk. The store continued to supply people until earlier this week, when the storm brought in another 18 inches (45 cm) of snow.

I mean cmon, this is just something else with how incredibly snow laden the trees are. So pretty. #CAwx #California #snow pic.twitter.com/R1COYxoIbD

— Michael Steinberg (@MichaelWX18) March 3, 2023

During previous storms, snow could be raked from the multi-year-old building to keep the roof from sagging. But when Zak climbed the stairs this time, he ran into a snowdrift about five feet (1,5 m) high. There just wasn't enough time or people to lighten the load enough.

Consequently, the roof sagged, causing the building inspector to order the site closed. Zak doesn't know when it will open, or if it will open at all. The roof of another grocery store, Goodwin & Sons, the only one in nearby Crestline, completely collapsed. No one was hurt, but Zach said he knows how painful it is to be unable to work at such a difficult time.

“We're just here to serve the community,” Zach, 54, said. - It's horrible".

John Radley thought he was prepared for a blizzard that raged for a week in the mountains of Southern California. The general contractor, who has lived in the Lake Arrowhead holiday community for more than five decades, has faced more than one storm. Because he had a backup generator and gasoline for a snowplow. He stocked up on food and prepared tire chains.

And yet, according to him, every day his efforts turned out to be Sisyphean labor. Every time he cleared snow from the driveway, the snowdrifts grew again.

“It’s a little disheartening,” Radley, 63, said. “We’ve never seen such an amount of rainfall before.”

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