Crews are searching for a US Marine Corps helicopter carrying five troops from Nevada to California that was reported overdue early on Wednesday, a watch commander said.

The Marines were flying a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter from Creech Air Force Base in Clark County, Nevada, to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.

The five US Marines were assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Miramar, the military said in a statement.

The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing based at Miramar Air Station in San Diego is co-ordinating search and rescue efforts with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the Civil Air Patrol.

The Sheriff’s Department was notified at 1am local time that the craft was overdue for arrival at Miramar and was last seen in the area of Pine Valley, a mountainous region about 35 miles east of central San Diego, said Lt Matthew Carpenter.

Lt Carpenter did not have any details on the type of helicopter or number of people aboard.

Calls to Miramar were not immediately answered.

Waves of heavy downpours hit the area throughout the night from a historic storm that has drenched California this week.