LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California is experiencing one of the wettest storms in its history, with record-breaking rainfall causing significant flooding and raising concerns about landslides. While the rainfall is expected to ease off on Tuesday, forecasters are urging residents to remain vigilant as floods and potentially deadly landslides are still possible.
The slow-moving storm arrived in the region on Monday, drenching parts of Los Angeles with unprecedented amounts of rain. The National Weather Service predicts that the storm may linger until Wednesday, bringing light to moderate rain, scattered showers, and the possibility of thunderstorms. Some areas could experience brief yet fierce downpours, with rainfall ranging from half an inch to an inch (1.3 to 3 centimeters) per hour.
Authorities have issued flood watches for most of Southern California, advising people to stay cautious. Swollen creeks and rivers pose a risk of drowning and may require swift water rescues. The storm initially hit Northern California over the weekend, claiming three lives as falling trees crushed individuals beneath them. It then moved southward, extending its effects to Los Angeles and the surrounding areas.
Throughout Monday, the storm unleashed heavy rain on Los Angeles, triggering mudslides and displacing boulders that rolled downhill, damaging numerous multimillion-dollar homes. Homeless encampments were also affected, with residents scrambling to find safety. In Studio City, near the Hollywood Hills, floodwaters carried mud, rocks, and household objects, causing evacuations and the red-tagging of several homes.
Residents of the Beverly Crest neighborhood, such as Drake Livingston, were taken by surprise. Livingston was watching a movie around midnight when a friend alerted him to flooding. When they looked outside, they discovered a foot-and-a-half of rushing water that eventually seeped through the doors. Livingston's car was found submerged in mud the following morning.
Downtown Los Angeles received nearly 7 inches (18 centimeters) of rain by Monday night, which is almost half the city's average annual rainfall of 14.25 inches (36 centimeters). This two-day period of rainfall is already the third-wettest since 1877, according to the National Weather Service.
However, the danger isn't over. The ground in many areas is extremely saturated, making it susceptible to landslides, mudslides, rockslides, and debris flows. Ariel Cohen, the meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service bureau in Los Angeles, warned that even a small amount of additional rain could trigger these hazardous events.
In particularly vulnerable areas, such as a canyon scarred by a fire in 2022, evacuation orders remain in place. The absence of vegetation, due to the previous fire, makes these areas highly susceptible to mud and debris flows. The Los Angeles Fire Department reported dealing with over 300 mudslides, more than 100 incidents of flooding, and rescues of motorists stranded on flooded roads.
The city has also taken measures to accommodate its sizable homeless population of nearly 75,000 people. Additional beds have been provided in shelters to ensure their safety during the storm.
Authorities have been conducting numerous rescues throughout Southern California as people find themselves trapped in swiftly moving water. In Los Angeles County alone, 16 individuals and five cats were rescued, while two homeless people and their pets were saved from a small island in the Santa Ana River in San Bernardino.
The storm has also resulted in environmental issues. Several spills have been reported, including the discharge of approximately 5 million gallons (18.9 million liters) of raw sewage in the Rancho Dominguez area near Compton. Most of the untreated sewage flowed into a channel that leads to the Pacific Ocean, prompting the closure of a 7-mile (11-kilometer) stretch of Long Beach for recreational swimming.
Over the weekend, the storm wreaked havoc in the San Francisco Bay area, causing street flooding, fallen trees, and water rescues. Tragically, two men were killed by fallen trees in Carmichael and Boulder Creek, while authorities are investigating the death of another man found under a redwood tree in his backyard in Yuba City.
Acknowledging the severity of the situation, Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency for most of coastal Southern California. President Joe Biden has pledged federal assistance, assuring local officials that help will be provided promptly upon request.
As the storm slowly subsides, residents are hoping for calmer weather and a chance to assess and recover from the damages inflicted by this historic weather event.
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Watson reported from San Diego. Associated Press journalists Michael R. Blood and Eugene Garcia in Los Angeles and Amy Taxin in Orange County contributed to this report.
