LOS ANGELES (AP) — Amid heavy rainfall in Southern California on Thursday, a sudden debris flow swept a Los Angeles Fire Department vehicle off the Pacific Coast Highway and into the ocean, leading to road closures and mudslides in areas affected by recent wildfires. A member of the fire department present in the vehicle in Malibu managed to escape with minor injuries, according to department spokesperson Erik Scott on social media platform X.
In Pacific Palisades, a section of the highway was submerged under 3 feet of sludge, with drivers attempting to navigate through while police officers assisted one vehicle through the muck. Nearby, bulldozers worked to clear roads where abandoned cars were previously left during last month’s wildfires evacuation.
Further north in Altadena, a road near the Eaton Fire burn scar was engulfed by 3 feet of mud, vegetation, and trees, breaching the concrete blocks meant to prevent debris flows. The area was deserted amidst the chaos.
In Oregon and Washington, snow and ice caused multiple accidents on highways, resulting in injuries to at least 10 individuals as a winter storm hit the Pacific Northwest.
These storms are part of a series of severe weather events across the U.S. that have caused power outages impacting tens of thousands.
The National Weather Service issued flash flood and severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of eastern Los Angeles County as the heavy rain triggered rockslides and mudflows in areas like Malibu Canyon and the Hollywood Hills. Southern California is expected to receive up to 6 inches of rain in mountainous regions and 3 inches in coastal and valley areas before the system moves out by Friday, stated Brent Bower, a hydrologist with the weather service.
Approximately 28,000 Californians were left without power, and over 200 flights to Los Angeles International Airport were delayed or canceled. Evacuation orders and alerts were issued in areas affected by recent wildfires, where hillsides are at risk of mudslides due to the loss of stabilizing vegetation.
Officials advised residents to stay off the roads if possible and urged preparedness for potential emergencies. Schools in Malibu and Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park in Orange County closed as a precautionary measure.
Despite the recent storms, Southern California continues to face extreme or severe drought conditions, as per the U.S. Drought Monitor. Climate scientist Daniel Swain from the University of California, Los Angeles, noted that while the region needs rain, the intensity of this storm may pose risks.
In Altadena, Mehran Daoudian took precautions by setting up sandbags and preparing for the ongoing impact of the severe weather.
A tarp was placed over a hole in his house’s roof caused by a fire last month. Daoudian expressed his gratitude for the city workers who had set up sandbags and concrete barriers in his neighborhood recently. He mentioned that he did not leave his cars on the street due to concerns about potential mudslides. In the San Francisco Bay Area, there were blackouts, minor landslides, and flooded roads. Up in wine country, worries were mounting along the flood-prone Russian River. Residents of Felton Grove, a small community on the central coast, were urged to evacuate as the San Lorenzo River neared its banks.
In Nevada, the weather service reported rainfall in Las Vegas, marking the end of a 214-day dry spell. Meanwhile, in northern Utah, rain and snow caused hazardous conditions on mountain roads leading to ski resorts. The state Department of Transportation issued a road safety alert due to a mix of heavy snow and rain expected until Friday.
In the Pacific Northwest, an ice storm led to a pileup near Multnomah Falls, east of Portland, Oregon. Initial reports suggested over 100 cars were involved, but later it was clarified that the number ranged from 20 to 30 vehicles. Four people were hospitalized with minor injuries, as an SUV caught fire during near-whiteout conditions on Interstate 84.
Multnomah County officials extended a state of emergency and opened eight shelters. Nearly 500 people sought refuge there on Wednesday night. Wind chills were forecasted to drop to 10 degrees Fahrenheit in Portland.
In southern Washington, six individuals were hospitalized after a 22-vehicle pileup on Interstate 5 near the Cowlitz River. State patrol reported a total of 95 crashes across five counties in the region on Thursday.
In the Eastern United States, heavy snow and freezing rain led to school closures and delays in numerous New England districts. Authorities in Maine investigated a fatal crash involving a tractor-trailer on the Maine Turnpike.
The recent storms followed days of severe weather spanning from Kentucky to Washington, D.C., resulting in numerous traffic accidents and widespread power outages. As of Thursday evening, around 130,000 customers in Virginia and 6,600 in North Carolina were still without electricity, according to PowerOutage.us.
Mississippi experienced two brief tornadoes on Wednesday, causing damage to an industrial building and several homes in Columbia. Fortunately, there were no reports of major injuries or fatalities.
