El Niño could become strongest on record, California Governor Gavin Newsom declares statewide emergency

California faces historic El Nino storms, prompting Governor Newsom to declare a statewide emergency. Measures aim to protect communities and infrastructure as authorities prepare for severe weather, with local emergencies already declared in several counties affected by recent flooding.

California Governor Gavim Newsom has declared statewide emergency as El Nino-fuelled winter storms approach the United States.

As per the governor's official website, with the declaration, authorities are mobilising state resources so that measure can be streamlined before hand to 'help California prepare for this historic event'.

The emerging El Nino event is 'already breaking records, and forecasters expect it to continue to strengthen, potentially becoming the strongest in recorded history, Newsom's office also said.

"California is strongest when we look out for one another. That is what this action is about. Giving communities the support they need, giving first responders the tools to do their jobs, and giving families the confidence that their state is ready," Newsom said in a statement.

A number of US counties have already declared local emergencies as a spell of tropical storms starting from the Pacific Ocean heads towards the southern part of the state, a report by Los Angeles Times said.

“California is strongest when we look out for one another. That is what this action is about,” Newsom's statement on Monday also said regarding the emergency declaration. “Giving communities the support they need, giving first responders the tools to do their jobs, and giving families the confidence that their state is ready.”

What are authorities doing as precautionary measures?

As per California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot, the state is taking steps to protect communities from a "potentially historic El Niño".

Crowfoot claims authorities are cutting red tape and fast-tracking flood protection as well as broader preparedness work communities need.

"We’re mobilizing with our partners to safeguard people, infrastructure, and natural resources before the worst storms arrive,” Crowfoot said.

The proclamation has directed the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to consult relevant state agencies to expand accessible and multilingual public preparedness communications related to severe weather, flooding, emergency alerts, evacuation readiness, power outages, and more.

Newsom has also proclaimed emergencies in Santa Barabara and other counties which were recently hit with storms.

Homes in the south of Orange County and also in Malinu were damaged by the floods, LA Times reports. It also said that the coast from Carlsbad to Long Beach was eroded away due to the flood.

What is El Nino?

El Nino is the periodic warming of ocean surface temperature in the eastern region of the Pacific Ocean. The western Pacific is usually warmer than the eastern region, but during El Nino this pattern reverses. With the eastern Pacific warming significantly, it changes circulation and precipitation patterns around the globe.

El Nino has often produced intense storms over California, which falls on the eastern Pacific. These storms can lead to dangerous landslides, flooding, debris flow, erosion, and such other impacts.

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