Severe storms bring major flooding to Midwest as California prepares for El Niño

Severe storms have caused major flooding in parts of Ohio and Minnesota, damaging homes and businesses and prompting water rescues.

(CNN)- Severe storms have caused major flooding in parts of Ohio and Minnesota, damaging homes and businesses and prompting water rescues.

In Ohio, business owners and residents are cleaning up after floodwaters caused significant damage.

“One of the back walls in the basement collapsed,” said Kathy Steele, owner of Mam’s Rusted Skillet. “We’re not sure how much damage and stuff is down there.”

Laurelville Fire Chief Butch Valentine said the flooding is the worst he has seen during his 55 years with the department.

“We’ve had about 15 calls people stranded in the water,” Valentine said.

Parts of Minnesota have also experienced high water in recent days. Heavy rain flooded homes and businesses, partially submerged vehicles and forced all streets in one town to temporarily close. State officials also temporarily shut down several highways, including at least one because of mudslides.

Meanwhile, California is preparing for a potentially historic Super El Niño storm season.

“It could become the strongest El Niño on record,” said Caroline Thomas Jacobs, director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency Monday to mobilize resources ahead of the expected weather. The California Department of Water Resources has pre-positioned 4.4 million sandbags and other flood-fighting materials, according to department director Thomas Gibson.

El Niño events can bring widespread coastal flooding, coastline erosion, heavy rain, landslides and heavy mountain snow. The El Niño is expected to peak this winter, with California preparing months in advance. Newsom’s emergency declaration came one day before the official start of fall Tuesday.