The storm's push across the West left a muddy mess Thursday across southern California and the threat of avalanches in Nevada, where Clark County officials urged residents of Mt. Charleston, near Las Vegas, to leave after snowslides near two mountain hamlets.
Preliminary damage estimates throughout California were already in the tens of millions of dollars and were expected to rise. The inland region of southern California east of Los Angeles was among the hardest-hit areas, especially San Bernardino County.
In Highland, people were literally chased from their homes by walls of mud and water. They returned Thursday to find as many as 70 homes, some with Christmas presents under the tree, inundated with mud several feet deep. Highland officials estimate the storm caused $17.2 million in damage to homes, cars and a bridge that was washed away.
Leslie Constante burst into tears when she approached her parents' house and saw a red tag slapped on the garage, meaning authorities deemed it unsafe to enter. Out front, a holiday display with two reindeer was enveloped in mud several feet deep.
"My mom and dad worked so hard for this," said Constante, 29.
Many drivers were rescued from swamped cars. The body of Angela Wright, 39, of Menifee was recovered from a car swept off a flooded road Wednesday near Canyon Lake in Riverside County, the coroner's office said. She is the only known fatality.
In Riverside County, the damage estimate was nearing $30 million.
In Orange County, spokesman Howard Sutter issued a preliminary damage estimate of $23 million, adding that it is expected to rise. The upscale community of Laguna Beach suffered an estimated $4 million in damage to 46 businesses and 20 homes. A section of the city's popular beachfront park was washed away.
When the sun came out Thursday, however, volleyball players quickly filled what was left of the park.
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