California storms: Los Angeles air crew rescues person stranded in rising San Gabriel River

The rescue came after days of heavy rain had caused havoc across much of California

Footage released by the LA County Sheriff’s Department shows a member of the air rescue team being lowered towards the San Gabriel River, in efforts to save a person caught in the heavy currents.

The LA County Sheriff’s Air Rescue team performed an extraordinary rescue after a person found themselves stuck in the powerful waves.

According to the department’s Twitter and Facebook accounts on 17 January 2019, the team performed a hoist rescue to help the person who was caught in the rising waters, near Peck Road in South El Monte.

The rescue came after days of heavy rain had caused havoc across much of California.

High winds could topple more trees as the soil gets wetter and more saturated, the National Weather Service has warned.

At least five people have died in the severe storms which have blanketed parts of the area.