A blast of mountain snow and flooding rain is falling over California, the last of a string of storms that brought much-needed moisture to the state yet triggered a deadly avalanche in the Sierras. https://t.co/Js2tvYpNrv ...

Portugal’s government approves a set of emergency laws to speed up reconstruction after deadly flooding, as part of a €2.5 billion support package https://t.co/m2c2oPePON ...

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People cling to treetops as 'worst floods in a generation' sweep Mozambique https://t.co/nDpDqUyPm8 ...

Weather & Travel - Life-threatening flooding is possible across parts of California, impacting holiday travel [5][6] - A major storm is expected to hit the East Coast with rain and snow, coinciding with the holiday travel rush [1][6] - Approximately 122 million Americans are estimated to travel this holiday season [11] - Southern California is expected to experience the worst storm during the Christmas holiday [13] Geopolitics & Sanctions - The U S Coast Guard is in active pursuit of an oil tanker, "Bella 1," near Venezuela, which is under U S sanctions [2][17] - The U S is increasing pressure on Venezuela by seizing oil tankers loaded with Venezuelan oil [16] - The U S accuses Venezuela's leader, Nicolas Maduro, of being an illegitimate narco-terrorist [19] - Maduro's regime accuses the U S of hijacking and theft of 4 million barrels of oil [20] Crime & Justice - A shoplifting suspect in Ohio pulled a gun on a police officer and attempted to shoot him [3][29][30] - A California mother rammed into burglars' car to protect her children inside the house [3][32][33] - Criticism surrounds the Justice Department's release of files on Jeffrey Epstein, with concerns about redactions and missing information [2][22][26] Community & Human Interest - A Kansas City Chiefs game incident involved a water bottle thrown into the stands, narrowly missing a child [4][36] - A Midwest community gathers nightly outside a children's hospital in Detroit to wish the patients sweet dreams with holiday lights [4][37][38]

Weather Impact & Travel Disruption - Severe weather conditions, including torrential rain and flooding, are impacting travel across the country [1][2][3] - An estimated 122 million Americans are traveling this holiday season by road and air, facing potential disruptions [5] - Scattered cancellations and delays are already occurring at airports, with the potential for more significant disruptions [7] Emergency Response & Safety Concerns - Authorities report a fatality in Reading, California, due to a car being trapped in rising floodwaters [1][2] - First responders are conducting multiple water rescues, including submerged vehicles and trapped residents [2][3] - Evacuation orders are being issued in Los Angeles for areas impacted by earlier fires [6] Infrastructure & Service Disruption - A powerful storm caused a deluge of water to erupt from an oversaturated drain [3] - A massive blackout occurred in San Francisco, impacting traffic lights and causing self-driving cars to stall [4] - Power has been mostly restored in San Francisco after the blackout [4]

Disaster Overview - A rare cyclone in Indonesia caused widespread death and destruction [1] - The cyclone resulted in a wave of felled trees [1] Impact on Infrastructure - The city was gone due to floods [1]

Climate & Insurance Impact - La Niña is linked to droughts in California, Argentina, and Brazil [1] - La Niña is linked to destructive flooding in Southeast Asia [1] - Catastrophes linked to La Niña are a larger factor for insurers [1] Agriculture & Energy Impact - Catastrophes linked to La Niña are a larger factor for farmers [1] - Catastrophes linked to La Niña are a larger factor for energy providers [1]

Weather Events and Impact - 71 million people are under winter weather alerts due to widespread snow across the country [1] - Treacherous conditions caused multi-vehicle crashes in Illinois and Iowa [1] - Iowa City experiences wind chills of 20 to 30 degrees below zero [1] - Record high floods submerged homes and cars in western Washington state [2] - A home in Deming, Washington, was taken away by the Noobsac River [3] - An atmospheric river is taking aim early next week, potentially causing more flooding [4] Response and Recovery Efforts - Deputies rescued residents from flooded homes in Dval, Washington [2] - Deputies used a drone to drop a life jacket to a man stranded on top of his vehicle [2] - Residents in Burlington, Washington, returned home after floodwaters receded, with cleanup efforts underway [3] - The National Weather Service warns that further flooding is possible [3] - A foot of water flooded a house despite the use of sandbags [4]

News Coverage - NBC News provides fact-based reporting, meaningful conversations, and powerful stories to help people understand current events [1] - NBC News offers various platforms including broadcasts, streaming, podcasts, apps, and website to keep audiences informed [1] Environmental Impact - A couple's home in Washington state was flooded due to torrential rain and a flooded Nooksack River [1] Media Channels - NBC News has multiple subscription options including NBC News, Here's the Scoop podcast, and breaking news alerts [1]