The rain sent streams of mud and debris across roadways.
One of the season’s most powerful storms struck fire-scarred Los Angeles on Thursday, unleashing heavy rain that sent torrents of mud and debris onto roadways and swept a fire department vehicle off a Malibu road into the ocean, according to authorities.
A Los Angeles Fire Department member was inside the vehicle when a massive debris flow carried it off the road and into the ocean, the department reported.
“Fortunately, the member managed to exit the vehicle and reach safety with only minor injuries. He was transported to a local hospital as a precaution,” spokesperson Erik Scott stated.
The atmospheric river unleashed 6.34 inches of rain across Los Angeles County, triggering mudslides in burn scar areas left by last month’s devastating Palisades Fire, according to Los Angeles ABC station KABC.
Videos from KABC captured bulldozers clearing thick streams of muddy sludge from roads, while firefighters waded through nearly waist-deep water and mud.
The storm also unleashed severe thunderstorms with wind gusts reaching 70 mph across Los Angeles County, while a possible tornado struck a mobile home park near Oxnard, California, about 60 miles from LA.
LA Mayor Karen Bass said the city took proactive measures by clearing fire debris from catch basins, distributing over 6,500 sandbags, installing more than 7,500 feet of concrete barriers, and implementing systems to capture polluted runoff.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna stated at a Wednesday news conference that deputies assisted residents by providing sandbags and sharing safety tips for mud and debris flows. “Our homeless outreach teams .. are actively notifying individuals living in flood-prone areas like the LA River, Coyote Creek, and other key waterways, urging them to relocate,” he added.
Evacuation warnings were issued for parts of fire burn zones, including areas affected by the Palisades Fire, while an evacuation order was mandated for sections of Sierra Madre impacted by the Eaton Fire, according to KABC.
Additionally, all Malibu schools were closed Thursday and Friday, as announced by the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.
The sheriff urged residents to be prepared in case evacuation became necessary.
“Unfortunately, we’ve seen countless instances of swift-water rescues where people were caught in dangerous, fast-moving water, and we obviously want to prevent that,” he said.
“Nothing you have at home is worth your life. If you choose to stay in an evacuated area, debris from burn scar zones and the storm may block roads, and we may not be able to reach you,” he warned.
Before slamming into Los Angeles, the storm first swept through Northern California, bringing heavy rain and flash flooding to the San Francisco Bay Area.
Further north, the same system created whiteout conditions in Oregon, leading to multiple car crashes along Interstate 84.
