Heavy rainfall triggered multiple mudslides in Southern California on Thursday evening, Feb. 13, some trapping cars and trucks and seeping into homes in Sierra Madre, while another swept a Los Angeles Fire Department vehicle and a firefighter into the Pacific Ocean.
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Flooding on the Mission Road underpass to the 60 Freeway led to a swift water rescue in Riverside, while the roof of a Smart & Final in Azusa collapsed during the storm.
The heaviest winter storm of the season didn’t disappoint, bringing nearly four inches of rain to parts of the San Gabriel and San Fernando Valley foothills, nearly three inches in downtown LA and upwards of six inches in parts of the San Gabriel Mountains, according to data from the National Weather Service.
The 2.8 inches in downtown Los Angeles set a 71-year record for the date, breaking the previous high of 2.71 in 1954.
Orange County and the Inland Empire weren’t hit quite as hard, with Yorba Linda and Lake Forest getting more than two and a half inches of rain, while airports in Upland and Chino recorded just under two inches.
But Lake Arrowhead was particularly hit hard, receiving about seven inches of rain as of about 4:45 a.m. Friday since the beginning of the storm, according to NWS data.
In the Hollywood Hills, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported a large debris flow in the 7100 block of Mulholland Drive, which deposited about 8 inches of mud across the street, “making passage impossible.” No injuries were reported and homes above the debris flow were later determined to be stable.
An LAFD SUV was swept off the Malibu hillside and into the ocean at Pacific Coast Highway and Big Rock Drive just past 5 p.m. Thursday, taking a firefighter with it before he made it back up to safety on Pacific Coast Highway, ABC Los Angeles reported.
“Fortunately, (he) was able to exit his vehicle and reach safety with minor injuries,” LAFD Capt. Erik Scott told the station. “He was transported to a local hospital as a precaution.”
Video submitted to the station showed one of the debris flows trapping a small SUV, with mud and debris nearly as high as the SUV’s side mirrors. Another video showed a catch basin overflowing and mud flows rushing through canals in the Eaton fire zone.
Flooding shut down Market Street under the 60 Freeway in Riverside, as multiple cars became stuck in the water, video from freelance news videographer OnScene.TV showed.
The California Highway Patrol issued a hard closure just before 9:50 p.m. and said fire officials were trying to get in to stage for a swift water rescue, according to CHP logs. The road was still closed as of 5:30 a.m.
Another mudslide forced some residents to struggle through thick mud and debris from their homes in Highland before those residents climbed up onto fences to move past the mess.
Resident Jeff Jones told RMG News, another freelance organization that sometimes works with the Southern California News Group, that San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies warned residents about 5 p.m. of the possibility of mud and debris flows from the recent Line Fire burn scar.
About an hour later mud and rain started “piling through,” Jones said. He called a friend to help him get some race cars off the property after mud and debris traveled down Church Street.
“It is what it is, we’re safe, our dogs are safe,” Jones said. “These are just things.”
And around 5:45 p.m., the roof of a Smart & Final store in Azusa collapsed amid the heavy rain fall, Azusa police Cpl. Brandon Saenz said, adding that police evacuated the store at 303 E. Foothill Blvd, though he wasn’t sure how many employees and customers were inside when the collapse occurred near the produce section.
“Part of the roof came down,” Saenz said. The building was red-tagged by the city.
Police tape was seen around the entrance as items were seen scattered on the floor of the rain-soaked store inside, video from RMG News shows. No injuries were reported.
Officials worked to prepare for the storm by setting up equipment in the Palisades area, while calling for evacuation orders for multiple areas, including people in the Palisades, Eaton, Airport, Line and Bridge fire burn scars.
Evacuation orders affected residents in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties, while evacuation warnings were issued in the Hollywood Hills, Sylmar, Mt. Baldy and Wrightwood.
Forecasters said rain may continue Friday morning and into the early afternoon before tapering off, leading to a dry weekend.
Staff writer Ruby Gonzales contributed to this report.
