Catastrophic landslides submerge homes, conceal roadways and vehicles in Southern California's residential areas
Heavy Rain and Mudslides Hit Los Angeles and Surrounding Areas
Los Angeles and surrounding areas faced a series of mudslides and flash flooding on Thursday, as thunderstorms packing intense rainfall rates swept across the region. The flash flood threat has now ended heading into Friday, but the damage assessment is just beginning.
The storms, which may have been triggered by lingering moisture from former Tropical Storm Mario, caused significant disruption in several areas. In the mountains north of the community, Big Bear Lake, which usually averages less than a half-inch of rain in September, received a deluge of rain.
One of the hardest-hit areas was Oak Glen and Forest Falls, which unfortunately experienced another mudslide in September 2022. The responsible parties handling the damage in these areas are local emergency management agencies, county public works departments, and state disaster response teams. Numerous homes were told to shelter in place in the Oak Glen area, but no injuries had been reported.
The location near Forest Falls reported 1.77 inches of rain in a single hour, contributing to the mudslides and flooding. Around 10 people were stuck on Highway 38 due to debris covering the road in both directions.
Sadly, a search is underway for a 2-year-old boy who was swept away by floodwaters in the city of Barstow. Elsewhere, water and debris covered State Route 190 near Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park, and flooding from thunderstorms also impacted roads in desert locations of southeast California.
The mudslides in Oak Glen and Forest Falls are linked to the 2020 El Dorado wildfire burn scar, which was sparked by a pyrotechnic device at a gender reveal party. The Potato Canyon area of San Bernardino County was also affected by the mudslides.
San Bernardino County Fire reported that mud and debris flows impacted multiple homes and covered roads in the area. Damage assessment teams will begin evaluating properties in the affected areas on Friday morning. While the immediate threat of flooding has passed, residents are urged to remain vigilant and follow any instructions from local authorities.
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