California Residents Face Tragedy and Power Outages in Wake of Brutal Bomb Cyclone

Amber Balog surveys the damage to a friend's vehicle after a saturated and wind-blown limb fell on Monte Verde Drive in Santa Rosa, Calif., on March 21, 2023. Kent Porter/The Press Democrat via AP

Officials in California have reported at least five storm-related deaths while thousands are still without power after a bomb cyclone hit the San Francisco Bay area on Tuesday, March 21, bringing with it heavy rains, winds of up to 90 mph, and at least one tornado.

One person was killed in Walnut Creek, a city in Contra Costa County, after a tree fell on a vehicle while they were seated inside, the local fire department said. The driver of the vehicle was also injured.