Los Angeles fire officials say one person has been electrocuted after a tree downed power lines and fell on a car.
The tree went down around noon Friday in Sherman Oaks as a powerful storm lashed the region.
Authorities say a 55-year-old man may have touched the line or contacted electrified water. He died at a hospital.
Earlier in the day, Los Angeles firefighters used ropes and inflatable boats to rescue seven people and two dogs from the Sepulveda basin area of the Los Angeles River, including one with non-life threatening injuries.
Meanwhile, a 75-foot tree fell onto an apartment building near UCLA, narrowly missing someone who was in bed. Authorities say four of the six apartments have been declared unsafe to enter, and 16 college students have been evacuated.
Fire officials say there have been nearly 150 reports of downed electrical lines in the past several hours.
