California floods: I-5 waterlogged in LA; San Bernardino facing severe flood risk; scary visuals emerge

A powerful winter storm drenched California before Christmas, triggering floods and evacuations in LA and San Bernardino County, with travel chaos.

Updated on: Dec 25, 2025, 04:55:20 IST

By Shamik Banerjee

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As California reels under a massive winter storm from Christmas Eve till Friday, Los Angeles and surrounding areas in San Bernardino County faces flood risks, with hundreds already evacuated in high-risk zones.

A car drives through a flooded road on La Cienega Boulevard on December 24, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (AFP)

With heavy rains slamming the state through Christmas eve, travelers are facing major inconveniences with waterlogged roads and delays or cancelation of flights, severely impacting holiday travels. In San Bernardino County, heavy water inlet was reported, which flooded residential areas around the rivers.

National Weather Service has warned people in northern, central and southern California to "exercise extreme caution" on Christmas Eve. A "strong atmospheric river brings heavy rain, snow, and wind to California through Friday," NWS said Tuesday.

Residents facing major inconveniences in Los Angeles, one of California's busiest cities. Photos emerged from the Interstate 5 showing vehicles stuck in traffic. Another video of the I-5 in Sun Valley showed the entire road under water and cars unable to pass.

Here's a video from Sun Valley showing emergency responders on the I-5 amid the massive flooding.

Here's a video of the I-5 freeway around the SoCal on Wednesday afternoon. Massive waterlogging has taken place with cars able to pass only through certain areas.

Scary visuals emerged from San Bernardino County showing a vehicle stranded on the road amid gushing floodwaters. Here's the footage:

Also read: Los Angeles state of emergency: Updated tornado, flash floods and storm map; multiple roads closed on Christmas

Gavin Newsom Declares State Of Emergency

In response to the flood situation in California, Governor Gavin Newsom has issued a state of emergency. State resources have been mobilized in multiple counties to coordinate the flood response, a statement from Newsom's office said.

"California is acting early and decisively to do all we can to get ahead of dangerous winter storms," Newsom was quoted saying in the statement. “The state has pre-positioned resources, activated emergency authorities, and we are working closely with local partners to protect communities and keep Californians safe.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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