Biden declares emergency for storm-hit California

STORY: U.S. President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for California on Saturday.

It came as another wave of rainstorms began to drench the waterlogged state at the weekend.

And after state governor Gavin Newsom made a public call earlier in the day for the president to make a move.

"Because that's my response to the folks out there on cots right now, in terms of what are we going to do for them."

A series of atmospheric rivers has pounded California since Dec. 26.

The weather event, involving a flowing column of condensed water vapor, is rarely seen in such frequent succession.

They’ve left at least 19 people dead, and brought floods, mudslides, power outages, home evacuations and road closures.

Biden ordered federal aid for state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the affected areas, according to a White House statement.

At the earlier briefing in the central city of Merced, Newsom urged Californians to remain "vigilant" over the next two days, saying he was aware many people are fatigued about the ongoing challenges.

As rain, snow and gusts swept into the state yet again on Saturday, residents in this Santa Cruz County community of Felton said they were indeed fatigued.

"We cleaned it up and the next thing you know, fast forward six days, we're flooding again. So we're in shock because even though we prepped for it, we didn't prep for it to get as high as it did, so that was more mess, more destruction. Our furnace is gone. It's just a lot. And to go through it a third time, it's just defeating.”

"Three floods in 10 days or a week is a bit too much. It's tough but life goes on, you know."

The ninth and final atmospheric river of the series is due to make landfall on Monday and last a couple of days.