An 8-year-old girl is dead and her 4-year-old brother is missing after being swept away by a swollen river in Northern California after melting snow.
The children, whose names have not been released, were heading to a rock in the Kings River with their mother and another adult around 2pm on Sunday.
A helicopter and boat search was launched which led to the discovery of the girl’s body in less than an hour and the boy has not yet been recovered.
None of the children had life jackets on when they were swept away.
Since March’s historic storm, visitors have been advised not to venture into the river and ‘off limits’ warnings have been issued due to strong currents and currents.
An 8-year-old girl is dead and her 4-year-old brother is missing after being swept away in the Kings River just outside of Fresno, California.
The children, whose names have not been released, were walking toward a rock in the Kings River near Pine Flats Dam in Fresno County around 2 a.m. Sunday.
Snow has begun to melt in California with some areas receiving more than 50 feet of snow
On Sunday, sheriff’s deputies and firefighters were called to the scene of an incident involving children about a mile from Pine Flats Dam in Sanger.
Both children were floating in the water when they sank.
It was the Fresno County Sheriff’s Eagle One helicopter that first found the young woman’s body Sunday afternoon during the search.
The boy could not be rescued till Monday morning.
The children were trying to cross the river with their mother and her adult friend to climb over a certain rock.
In their post, law enforcement officials urged residents to use the horrific tragedy as a cautionary tale and follow posted signage regarding water safety.
‘Numerous closure signs are posted along waterways informing the public of the importance of staying out of the water,’ the department said.
Conditions are only expected to worsen during the summer months, especially in the Golden State’s more mountainous regions as the snowpack melts.
“The condition of our waterways will only become more dangerous heading into the summer as snow melts and dams release more water into the river,” the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a post about Sunday’s incident.
As of early May, weather officials estimated that only 12 inches of California’s massive snowpack had melted and would flow through most of the summer.
On Sunday, sheriff’s deputies and firefighters were called to the scene about a mile from Pine Flats Dam in Sanger for an incident involving children.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday that numerous closure signs have been posted along waterways informing the public of the importance of staying out of the water.
Recent reports indicate that a mere fraction of the snow accumulated in California during historic winter storms has begun to melt since May.
‘This melt is really just getting started,’ Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA, told the Los Angeles Times.
‘I know it’s hard to believe, but we’re entering May and the peak is probably yet to come,’ he said.
In mid-May, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office issued a similar warning to its Fresno counterpart after two people drowned in the American River.
‘Last winter’s heavy snowpack is melting into our rivers, and the water is colder (45 degrees), stronger and higher – it will stay that way for at least the next month, possibly longer,’ officials said.
‘Be like the river, this year is different,’ they wrote.
A Department of Water Resources snow survey taken in early May showed the state’s snowpack was at 254 percent of its normal rate for the year.
At that time, they estimated that the ice contained about 49.2 inches of water.
April’s cool temperatures finally delayed the melt, and only 12 or so inches of snow began to descend from the mountains in early May.
The remaining snow is expected to drift through most of the summer.
Recent reports indicate that a mere fraction of the snow accumulated in California during historic winter storms has begun to melt since May. Photo: Big Bear floods in March
‘This melt is really just getting started,’ Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA, told the Los Angeles Times. Photo: Big Bear residents deal with flooding after heavy storm
In February and March, historic snowfall totals across California led residents to write stark SOS messages in the snow.
Some areas of the Golden State have received more than 50 feet of snow since fall
Just last week, California Governor Gavin Newsom extended an executive order allowing more water to be diverted from waterways due to flooding concerns.
In March, DailyMail.com reported on some Southern California residents already feeling the pain of melting snow as flooding caused major problems.
More than 100 inches fell in Big Bear, California in February and March, resulting in severe flooding at the first sign of a warm-up.
One resident, Benel Amoranto, told CBS at the time that ‘a river is flowing right through the middle of my house.’
Just last week, California Governor Gavin Newsom extended an executive order allowing more water to be diverted from waterways due to flooding concerns.
Of greatest concern is the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada range, which has been pummeled by more than 56 feet of snow this season.
‘As flooding impacts are expected to continue into the summer, California is committed to supporting vigorous preparedness, response and recovery efforts in these hard-hit areas and to using floodwaters to recharge our critical groundwater supplies where it is safe to do so,’ Newsom said in a statement.
‘We will continue to work with local partners to protect lives and livelihoods on the ground, while advancing investment to protect communities across the state from future floods.’
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