Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in 20 California counties on Thursday as winter storms continued to lash the state with record snow and rainfall that have knocked out power, shut down major roads and freeways, and caused debris flows, among other hazards.
According to the proclamation, the following counties are under a state of emergency: Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Humboldt, Lake, Los Angeles, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Sierra and Yuba.
The emergency proclamation will support response and recovery efforts after the storms, including by expanding access to state resources under the state’s Disaster Assistance Act, according to a statement by Newsom’s office.
It directs the California Department of Transportation to request immediate help through the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program for highway repairs or reconstruction and eases access to unemployment benefits for residents who lose their jobs because of the storms.
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