Photo: Mario Tama / Getty Images News / Getty Images
Los Angeles County is grappling with mudslides and flooding after a powerful storm swept through the region on Thursday night (February 13). The storm, which brought heavy rain, caused debris flows and led to warnings about flooding, thunderstorms, wind, and hail.
The storm, described as the most intense to hit Southern California in over a year, dropped more rain on Los Angeles than the city had received in the last nine months combined. Downtown Los Angeles received nearly two and a half inches of rain, while Sepulveda Canyon saw over three inches, resulting in mud covering Mulholland Drive.
A Los Angeles Fire Department member was swept off the road and into the ocean in Malibu due to a large debris flow but managed to escape with minor injuries. In Orange County, several roads remain closed, and mandatory evacuation orders are in place for areas in Trabuco Canyon and Bell Canyon due to potential debris flows from the Airport Fire burn area.
In the Sierra Madre foothills, a significant mudflow trapped a truck and likely damaged houses. Resident Bill Duvall described the scene to LAist, saying, "As I walked up farther... I looked up, and all of a sudden, the water breached the dam and just came tumbling down with so much pressure."
Officials have advised residents to remain cautious, especially in areas near canyons and steep terrain, where the risk of mudslides and rockslides persists.
The storm is expected to move east, bringing snow and rain to the Rockies and potentially causing extensive flooding from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast.