‘You won’t come out’: Calif. snowmelt leaves many missing or dead
The historic 2023 California snowpack is melting. Billions of gallons of icy water are running off the mountains, causing treacherous conditions across the state’s rivers and taking numerous lives, as some areas brace for more flooding in the coming days. This winter saw an incredible 677 inches of snowfall in the Sierra Nevada, the second most in California’s recorded history. And despite repeated warnings from authorities, several swimmers and rafters have drowned in the rushing, cold waters. Reported deaths and disappearances in the past month include: On April 19, a teenage boy was found dead on a remote stretch of the South Yuba River in Nevada County. …