Update: Ukiah woman dies inside submerged vehicle; 2 found dead in Sea Ranch

FORESTVILLE, Sonoma County -- The storm death toll continued to climb Wednesday as a woman was found dead inside a vehicle submerged in Forestville and investigators were trying to determine if the cause of death of two people in Sea Ranch was weather-related.

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat  reported that the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office was investigating the cause of death of two people whose bodies were found in a house at The Sea Ranch.

Deputies discounted earlier reports that a large tree had toppled into house. No other details were immediately available.

Meanwhile, the Sheriff's Office said a person called 9-1-1 at around 10 a.m. Tuesday about a car stuck in flood waters on the 6000 block of Trenton-Healdsburg Road near River Road. The caller reported there was water in the car, then the line disconnected. Dispatchers tried to call back several times but received no response, the sheriff's office said.

Sheriff's and fire department water rescue crews responded to the location as well as a sheriff's helicopter, a California Highway Patrol helicopter, and a number of deputies to search for the car and driver. The search went on until sunset Tuesday but neither the car nor the driver were found, the sheriff's office said.

The water rescue crews returned to the location at about 6 a.m. Wednesday and located a car submerged in about 8-10 feet of floodwaters, approximately 100 yards off the road, at about 7:46 a.m. A marine unit deputy dove into the water and determined a dead body was inside and deputies and fire personnel were able to remove the body from the car.

The coroner's office identified the victim as 43-year-old Daphne Fontino of Ukiah. No other information was released.

The death was the 18th in California attributed to the series of atmospheric river storms and resulting effects of the storms.