Gov. Jerry Brown asked President Donald Trump on Tuesday to declare a major disaster for California due to damage caused by heavy rains that hit the state from Jan. 18 to 23. “This record-breaking precipitation resulted in numerous rivers, creeks and streams again exceeding flood stages throughout California,” Brown wrote Trump, saying the storms caused flooding, breached levees, left an estimated 55,000 homes and businesses without power, and led to six deaths. A presidential disaster declaration would make available federal assistance to reimburse state and local costs, small-business loans and other programs.