A California storm on Wednesday night that produced severe winds and torrential rain claimed at least two lives in the Bay Area.
According to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, a redwood tree that fell over a mobile home in the Sonoma County town of Occidental, which is located about 60 miles northwest of San Francisco, killed a 1-year-old infant. When a teen’s automobile hydroplaned across standing water on a road near Fairfield, she was killed. A Baby Was Killed By A Fallen Tree In Sonoma County During California Storm
Sgt. Juan Valencia with the sheriff’s office told SFGATE over the phone that the parents were at their Occidental home when the huge tree fell, but they were unharmed.
At 5:14 p.m., soon after dusk, the Occidental Volunteer Fire Department responded to the incident in the 2800 block of Joy Road. Valencia stated, “The 1-year-old was pinned under the tree.” When first responders tried to revive the kid, they were unable. Valencia claimed that, according to early accounts, the tree had a diameter of roughly 6 feet, though that information has not yet been verified.
According to KTVU, the father was in a panic and the infant was covered in trash.
The bomb cyclone-designated storm system dumped copious amounts of rain and generated strong gusts. Some of the worst weather was observed in the North Bay.
A spectacular 101 mph gust was recorded by the PG&E Nicasio Hills weather gauge, while isolated wind gusts reached 90 mph. Due to the windy conditions, trees across the area toppled, obstructing roads and colliding with homes and automobiles. With weaker root systems as a result of a storm on New Year’s Eve that saturated soils, trees were particularly vulnerable to the strong winds.
Another victim of the storm, a 19-year-old lady, was killed in a deadly collision in Fairfield while it was pouring rain. The woman had driven into a pool of standing water before hydroplaning and losing control of the vehicle, the Fairfield Police Department discovered after responding to the solo vehicle crash at Vanden Road and One Lake. She fell and struck a utility pole.
Water on the road was a contributing factor, but unfortunately, speeding was probably the main cause of the collision, according to authorities.
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