Powerful storm system blasts US West Coast

LAS VEGAS (AP):The Western United States (US) has been drenched by a powerful storm system that blasted several states and has led to four deaths.

The fierce weather has prompted flooding and water rescues in California, stranded dozens of drivers in Nevada, caused hundreds of crashes among desert dwellers in Arizona and brought snow to northern New Mexico.

The system was expected to head east and reach the Atlantic coast by the middle of next week, but not before hitting the Southwest again with rain, snow and wind, forecasters said.

In California, the storms were linked to three deaths. In Oakland, one person was found dead near downed power lines and another crashed his vehicle into a tree while apparently trying to avoid debris in the road, news reports and officials said. Also, a 52-year-old woman died in Yuba County, north of Sacramento, when a tree fell on the parked car in which she was sitting.

In Southern California, a homeless man had to be rescued from a tree by helicopter and four others were plucked from an island after becoming trapped in the swollen Santa Ana River in San Bernardino County.

In Nevada, snow in higher elevations in rural, eastern Lincoln County stranded 50 to 60 cars early last Friday.

HUNDREDS OF vehicle crashes

In Arizona, firefighters in Tucson last Friday recovered the body of a man who was swept away by high water in the Santa Cruz River. Meanwhile, authorities across the state responded to hundreds of vehicle crashes as the storm dropped rain on typically dry roads.

A flood watch was in effect until early yesterday in the Phoenix area, where several miles of the Loop 303 freeway in the western suburbs were closed due to flooding. The weather service said rain totals through yesterday morning exceeded two inches in the Phoenix area.

In New Mexico, snow and ice packed roads in the northern part of the state, but forecasters say the latest storm is far from over.

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque said the brunt of the storm was expected to cross into New Mexico yesterday, bringing widespread snow through the rest of the weekend, frigid temps and gusty winds.