Lightning strike kills woman, 2 dogs in California
Lightning strike kills woman, 2 dogs in California
A woman and two dogs were killed by a lightning strike Wednesday as thunderstorms pounded Southern California, authorities said.
The fatal lightning strike was reported at 8:50 a.m. near the San Gabriel River in Pico Rivera, said Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Jonathan Branham.
“It was a female Hispanic adult who had been struck by lightning and did not survive her injuries,” he said. “She was walking two dogs and the dogs were also deceased.”
The woman was later identified as Antonia Mendoza Chavez, 52.
The city ordered its work crews and summer camps indoors, and cancelled outdoor activities including a farmers market.
The thunderstorms were caused by a low-pressure system off the coast pulling monsoonal moisture northward into the region, meteorologists said.
Southern California Edison reported power outages affecting more than 27,000 customers.
The National Weather Service said most rainfall was light but there were exceptions, including a cell over the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County where a gauge recorded nearly an inch of rain.
The lightning raised concern about the potential for fires in the drought-stricken region, and lifeguards closed some Orange County beaches.
Forecasters said the weather would start calming down on Thursday and then become more typical June conditions.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Gas prices see long weekend drop in parts of Canada, but analysts say relief not likely to last
The Canada Day long weekend saw gas prices plummet in parts of the country, but the relief at the pumps may not stay for very long, analysts say. The decreases come after crude oil prices slid in June following the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes, sparking fears of a recession.

BREAKING | Police identify Saanich, B.C., gunmen as 22-year-old twin brothers
Mounties on Vancouver Island have publicly identified the two gunmen killed during a shootout with police at a bank in Saanich on Tuesday.
TD 'significantly' downgrades home sale, price forecasts
A new report from TD says Canadian home sales could fall by nearly one-quarter on average this year and remain low into 2023.
Anti-Taliban law could be tweaked to get more humanitarian aid to Afghans: minister
A law outlawing any dealings with the Taliban, which charities complain is impeding their ability to help needy Afghans, could be adjusted by the federal government to give more flexibility to aid agencies.
Biden intends to nominate a conservative, anti-abortion lawyer to federal judgeship, Kentucky Democrats say
U.S. President Joe Biden intends to nominate an anti-abortion Republican lawyer to a federal judgeship, two Kentucky Democrats informed of the decision say.
Russian forces press assault on eastern Ukrainian city of Lysychansk
Russian forces pounded the city of Lysychansk and its surroundings in an all-out attempt to seize the last stronghold of resistance in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk province, the governor said Saturday.
'You do not want this' virus: California man with monkeypox urges others to get vaccinated
A California man has posted a widely-shared video in an attempt to educate people about the monkeypox virus outbreak, to encourage people to get vaccinated if they're eligible and to make it very clear: 'You do not want this.'
Technoblade, Minecraft YouTuber watched by millions, dead at 23
Minecraft YouTuber Technoblade has died at the age of 23 following a year-long battle with cancer, his family announced Friday.
Quebec could see increase in unhoused people as leases expire across province: housing group
A prominent housing advocacy group fears Quebec could see an increase in households left without a permanent place to live as leases expire across the province on July 1.