California is the latest region of the world to be hit by extreme weather, with torrential rains causing deadly floods and mudslides.
At least nine people are reported to have been killed in southern parts of the state, with roads being washed away and one airport being closed when the runway was severely damaged.
According to the BBC News website, the mayor of Los Angeles, James Hahn, is urging president George Bush to declare a federal emergency.
Santa Paula airport was reported to have been closed for an indefinite period after part of its runway collapsed into the Santa Clara river on Tuesday.
There have also been heavy snowfalls in western US mountains; at least one person is known to have been killed in an avalanche in the resort of Lake Tahoe, on the border of California and Nevada.
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd
