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KCSO search and rescue teams battle "Killer" Kern River during holiday weekend

River takes 3 lives, crews manage to rescue 20
Deadly weekend at the Kern River
Local rafting group rescues little boy in the Kern River
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The Kern County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Crews were busy all weekend as hundreds of people made their way to the Kern River to celebrate Memorial Day Weekend.

 

The worst fear for Kern County: search-and-rescue becoming a reality. While the river, also known as the “Killer” Kern, took three more lives, as many as 20 people were saved.

 

On Saturday, a 40-year-old man fell out of a boat while rafting in Tulare County.

 

On Sunday, the body of a 47-year-old woman was recovered near Hart Park a day after the boat carrying her and 5 others was swept away.

 

On Monday, a man in his mid-40s was recovered near Lake Isabella after he was rafting on Sunday evening.

 

 

Officials say that the river conditions pose an even greater danger during the summer as a lot of snow melts in the higher elevations. 

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Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Sunday

03/15/2026

Mostly Clear

-° / 56°

6%

Monday

03/16/2026

Mostly Clear

87° / 59°

4%

Tuesday

03/17/2026

Clear

92° / 62°

2%

Wednesday

03/18/2026

Clear

93° / 64°

2%

Thursday

03/19/2026

Clear

92° / 63°

3%

Friday

03/20/2026

Clear

93° / 64°

1%

Saturday

03/21/2026

Partly Cloudy

92° / 61°

1%

Sunday

03/22/2026

Partly Cloudy

87° / 59°

1%