Californian Flood Toll Now 26

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29747, 14 February 1962, Page 13

Californian Flood Toll Now 26

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

LOS ANGELES, February 13.

Deaths in southern California’s week-long rainstorm jumped to 26 today as another deluge created lakes up to seven feet deep in Los Angeles.

Further east, floods hit Idaho, Wyoming and Utah, causing hundreds to flee from their homes, drowning cattle and cracking highways.

The latest victims in southern California were three boys who were killed in San Diego when a cave they had dug collapsed on them. A fourth boy dug himself out.

The other deaths attributed to the storm, which has brought more than eight inches of rain to Los Angeles in six days, came from drownings, mud slides and traffic accidents. Part of Hollywood’s famous Sunset Boulevard was flooded and cars were carried away by the force of water. State Of Emergency

As the rains moved east, the Governor of Idaho (Mr Robert Smylie) declared a state of emergency in six counties. Army, Red Cross and Civil Defence units were mobilised.

The steadily rising damage to property was already estimated at hundreds of thousands of dollars. Rapidly melting snow as well as rain contributed to the Idaho floods as volunteers worked against time to check rivers and streams turned into torrents. A call was made for boats to help 500 residents from the town of Bancroft and 300 families fled from their homes at Idaho Falls.