ISTANBUL

Two people were found dead Sunday in floodwaters in the northern part of the US state of California from a storm fueled by an atmospheric river that brought a record amount of rain.

The heavy rainfall caused rivers and creeks to overflow, creating hazardous conditions on roads.

Atmospheric rivers are relatively long, narrow regions in the atmosphere – like rivers in the sky – that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Officials said both deaths were reported on Saturday in Sonoma County, located about 60 miles (96.5 kilometers) north of San Francisco.

The area recorded 20 inches of rain over three days, bringing Sonoma County three times its usual November rainfall.