A mudslide in Beverly Hills (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
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12 Inches & More On Way; Mudslides, Floods, Evacuations
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UPDATED, 9:45 AM: The state of emergency continues in Los Angeles as nearly a foot of rain has fallen in some areas during the past two days. And it’s not over yet.
“This has truly been a historic storm for Los Angeles,” Dr. Ariel Cohen of the National Weather Service said during a news conference this morning. “We’re talking about the third-wettest two day stretch since records started in the 1870s, and we’ve endured this and come through with no fatalities.”
He added: “We still have light to moderate rain ongoing across the Greater L.A. area, and because the soils are so saturated — supersaturated, in fact, with six to 12 inches of rain across the region — it will take very little additional to increase already-flooded areas with more flooding, landslides, mudslides and other debris flows. Everyone needs to be at a high state of readiness.”
To that end, evacuation warnings have been issued for areas of Culver City adjacent to significant slopes. The warning applies to areas in the Upper Crest in the hills just east of Overland Avenue, north of the Westfield Culver City mall and about two miles south from the Sony Pictures lot. Officials are warning of possible debris or mudflows there.
“The City is asking residents who live above, below, or adjacent to a hillside in or below the Upper Crest neighborhood” to “prepare to leave your home and the area, gather your family, pets, basic needs and important paperwork and listen for instructions from local officials,” according to an official statement, which also gives a list of streets impacted.
Per the city’s Twitter/X account, “Mud flows have been reported behind 2 homes along Cranks Road and 1 along Flaxton Street.”
The warnings are expected to remain in effect through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.
Flash-flood warnings have been issued for a swath running from Glendale to Santa Clarita to Calabasas and another wide, narrow band along slopes from Newbury Park, through Malibu and Topanga to Bel-Air and West Hollywood. Those warnings last through 9 p.m.
Flood Advisories were issued by the National Weather Service until 9 p.m. for Ventura County and for Santa Barbara County until 12:45 a.m.
Rainfall totals for the storm have also been updated. Among the more eye-popping numbers:
Bel-Air: 11.64
Sepulveda Canyon at Mulholland: 11.46
Topange Fire Station: 11.34
Woodland Hills: 10.97
Earlier in the day, the Los Angeles Fire Department swift-water rescue made a dramatic save. A man had jumped into the Los Angeles River after his dog fell in. The dog safely swam to shore, but the man had to be plucked from the torrent by a rescuer suspended from a helicopter.
PREVIOUSLY at 1:20 p.m.: The National Weather Service in Los Angeles has extended a flash-flood warning for West Central Los Angeles County and Southeastern Ventura County until 9 p.m. as several local counties remain under a state of emergency. The warning had been set to expire at 6 p.m.
“Doppler radar indicated moderate to heavy rainfall moving into much of the warned area,” read a statement from the NWS. “This additional rain will likely cause additional flash flooding as well as rock and mudslide activity. Recent burn areas could also see debris flow.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass today signed a declaration of a local emergency that is intended to help the city’s response to the storm and ensure resources for the recovery period. It follows state and county emergency declarations.
“With unprecedented rain came unprecedented preparation, and now comes unprecedented response,” Bass said during a news conference Monday.
Among the late developments is that Disneyland is closing two hours early tonight, at 8 p.m. The resort closed down an hour early on Sunday night — at 10 p.m. rather than 11.
PREVIOUSLY at 12:28 p.m.: Sunday marked one of the wettest days in the recorded history of Los Angeles, according to Mayor Karen Bass, and downtown L.A. set a record for the date, with over 4 inches of rain.
Los Angeles officials urged residents to stay home and off the roads Monday. Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in eight California counties, including Los Angeles and Orange counties. Los Angeles County later declared its own state of emergency.
But many of L.A. county’s priciest ZIP codes were hammered much worse than most.
According to the National Weather Service, bucolic Bel-Air received 10.59 inches of rain in the past two days. Mud and debris flows were reported in the Beverly Glen area, where about five homes suffered “significant” damage, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Sixteen people were displaced as city Building and Safety officials were summoned to assess the damage and determine if the homes need to be red-tagged as uninhabitable.
The Los Angeles Fire Department reported that Benedict Canyon and Beverly Glen Canyon roads were closed because of flooding and rock slides.
Video posted online by KNX News reporter Jon Baird shows an SUV buried in mud up to the windows on North Beverly Drive in Beverly Crest.
Another post from KCAL’s John Schreiber seemed to show a Beverly Crest-area house that slid off its foundation and down Caribou Lane.
Topanga was hit even harder, with very close to 11 inches of rain (10.8, per the NWS) falling in the past two days. According to a news conference hosted by L.A. Mayor Karen Bass this morning, a portion of Topanga Canyon Road was closed. Last night, evacuation orders were put in place for a portion of Topanga.
Damage along Lockridge Road in Studio City (David Crane/Getty Images)
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Another major north-south artery in the Santa Monica Mountains, Malibu Canyon, was shut down at Mullholland and large boulders rained down onto the road.
Stretches of nearby Piuma Road were also closed due to flooding and debris flows, with sheriff’s officials reporting several vehicles completely submerged on Piuma.
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District schools were closed Monday.
A badly damaged car in Studio City (David Crane/Getty Images)
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Two homes sustained significant damage in Studio City when mud and debris slid down a hillside along Lockridge Road. Fire crews evacuated residents from nine homes on the stretch. In the Tarzana/Encino area, three homes were impacted by a debris flow along Boris Drive, prompting the evacuation of 16 residents and nine homes.
More damage in Studio City(Photo by David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)
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With rain expected to continue falling throughout the day and into Tuesday, a flash flood warning was issued until 3 p.m. for the Santa Monica Mountains and the Hollywood Hills.
“The intensity of the rain will resume,” an official announced at Mayor Bass’ news conference. “Conditions will deteriorate as the afternoon unfolds.”
A flood advisory was issued for the rest of L.A. County through 3 p.m. as rain continued falling. Videos posted online show the region’s waterways – including the L.A. River near Disney and Radford Studios and Ballona Creek near Playa Vista – very close to overtopping bridges and their concrete banks.
Roads leading to and through the perennially-flooded Sepulveda Basin were closed, including Burbank Boulevard between the 405 and Balboa Boulevard and Woodley Avenue between Burbank and Victory boulevards.
Residents in the La Tuna Canyon Road area north of Hollywood Burbank Airport were ordered to evacuate until Tuesday due to the high risk of debris flow triggered by the heavy rain.
The affected area borders Horse Haven Street to the north, Martindale Avenue to the east, Penrose Street to the south, and Ledge Avenue to the west, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Eastbound La Tuna Canyon Road was closed to all but residents in the evacuation area at Ledge Avenue, at Sunland Boulevard, at Honolulu Avenue and the westbound lanes are closed at the 210 Freeway with only freeway access allowed.
Six Flags Magic Mountain and Knott’s Berry Farm are closed today. The Getty Center and Villa and The Los Angeles Zoo announced they would also be closed.
“Additional rainfall amounts through Tuesday are generally expected to range from 1 to 2 inches for most coastal and valley areas, with 2 to 4 inches in the foothills and mountains. However, L.A. County will likely see higher amounts through Tuesday with an additional 1.50 to 3 inches for coastal/valley areas, and 3 to 5 inches for foothills and mountains. Rain rates between 0.10 and 0.25 inches per hour will be common through Tuesday, however local rates between 0.50 and 1 inches per hour will occur in heavier showers and thunderstorms.”
According to the National Weather Service, 4.10 inches of rain fell in downtown Los Angeles Sunday, breaking the daily rainfall total for Feb. 4 of 2.55 inches set in 1927. It was the third wettest February day and the 12th wettest day for anytime during the year since 1877, when rainfall totals first started being recorded. The wettest day on record for downtown Los Angeles was 5.88 inches set on March 21, 1938, the year of the city’s great flood.
Erik Pedersen and City News Service contributed to this report.
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