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LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Evacuation orders and warnings are in effect for portions of Southern California as a strong winter storm brings heavy rain and widespread flooding.
New flash flood warning for L.A., Ventura counties
A new flash flood warning was issued Monday afternoon, covering a wider area of Los Angeles County and parts of Ventura County.
The warning will remain in effect until 6 p.m. and covers the west central area of L.A. County and southeastern Ventura County. Some areas that will experience flash flooding include Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, North Hollywood, Burbank, Van Nuys, Universal City, Northridge, Griffith Park, Encino, Santa Clarita, Chatsworth, Woodland Hills, Pasadena, Alhambra, Mount Wilson, Agoura Hills, Altadena, Pacoima, Sunland and Sylmar.
The National Weather Service said as of 1 p.m., radars indicated moderate to heavy rainfall moving into much of the area.
Swift water rescues across Inland Empire
Constant, heavy rain washed out roads across the Inland Empire overnight. In San Bernardino County, creeks overflowed and people had to be rescued.
In the Cajon Pass, the driver of a SUV pulling a trailer tried to drive through a road overtaken by water just west of the 15 Freeway around 1 a.m. Monday.
They didn’t make it and had to call 911 to be rescued.
In the Cajon Pass, the driver of a SUV pulling a trailer tried to drive through a road overtaken by water just west of the 15 Freeway.
“They were screaming for their life. It was by far the scariest moment they said they had ever been in,” said Chris Prater with the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
Prater said it was one of the scariest incidents he’s ever seen.
“It’s not just straight water coming down like you would see in a channel or a swimming pool… It was boulders, trees, lots of debris coming down the hillside that impeded our rescue efforts.”
He added the incident checked off every common denominator for a fatal accident.
“These three individuals that were rescued were extremely lucky to make it out of that situation alive.”
Later in the morning, crews in Riverside worked to rescue a man in the flooded Santa Ana River under the Van Buren Boulevard overpass.
Flash flood warning issued for Topanga Canyon area
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Topanga, Lake Sherwood and Glenview. The warning is in effect until 3 p.m.
People are asked to get to higher ground and avoid walking or driving through flooded areas.
Malibu schools closed
All Malibu schools will be closed Monday due to the severe weather battering the region, according to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.
Officials say road closures in the area affected the ability for some staff to get to campuses.
Meanwhile, Santa Monica school will remain open.
Cars trapped on flooded streets in Brentwood
Officials are urging people to stay away from flooded roads after some drivers had to be rescued from flooded streets from in areas like Brentwood.
Several cars became trapped in deep water along San Vicente Boulevard between Montana Avenue and Bundy Drive. Tow trucks were called out to pull the cars out, but more kept trying to drive through.
It was a similar scene over in nearby Westwood at Sunset Boulevard and Stone Canyon Road.
At least three cars were stuck after the street became inundated with deep rainwater.
Officials are urging people to stay away from flooded roads after some drivers had to be rescued from flooded streets from in areas like Brentwood.
Topanga Canyon receives 9 inches of rain
An evacuation order was issued for areas along Santa Maria Road north of Topanga Canyon due to high risk of mud and debris flows. The order will remain in effect until 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Meanwhile, evacuation warnings have been issued for several unincorporated parts of L.A. County near the Agua Fire, Bobcat Fire (specifically the north end), Lake Fire and Owen Fire burn scars. See more information on the warnings here.
All evacuation warnings will be in effect starting 10 a.m. Sunday through 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Downtown L.A. received 4.1 inches of rain on Sunday, passing the “daily record of 2.55 (inches) set in 1927,” the National Weather Service tweeted.
Evacuations were ordered in the Fryman Canyon area of Studio City as a mudslide damaged two homes.
Mudslide damages 2 homes in Studio City
Evacuations were ordered in the Fryman Canyon area of Studio City as a mudslide damaged two homes, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. So far, no injuries have been reported but mud and debris covered the road.
Sixteen people and a total of nine homes were evacuated.
Just after midnight, LAFD tweeted that three homes were impacted by a debris flow on Boris Drive in the Encino/Tarzana area. Residents in the immediate area were being evacuated.
Angelenos urged to stay home
Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for eight counties in Southern California – Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Diego and San Luis Obispo counties. The emergency proclamation includes provisions authorizing a California National Guard response if tasked, facilitating unemployment benefits for impacted residents, and making it easier for out-of-state contractors and utilities to repair storm damage.
Due to heavy rain, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for central and western Los Angeles County that expires at 12:01 a.m. Monday.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass urged Angelenos to stay home Sunday and Monday, and said the city has taken a range of preemptive measures, including placing the city’s Emergency Operations Center at Level 2.
Bass and other top city and county officials gathered at a Sunday afternoon news conference, urging the public to stay off roads and to obey all evacuation orders.
LAUSD keeps schools open Monday
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the district planned to keep schools open Monday, with the exception of Vinedale Elementary School in Sun Valley. Carvalho added that district officials would continue to monitor the storm, and plans could change later Sunday night.
On Sunday evening, the California State University system announced some local campuses would be closed on Monday. Cal State Los Angeles, Cal State Northridge, Cal State Long Beach and Cal State Fullerton will be holding classes remotely on Monday.
Areas that have seen damaging flooding during past storms are gearing up.
Here’s a breakdown of evacuation orders and warnings currently in effect:
Fryman Canyon area of Studio City was ordered to evacuate Sunday.
Ventura County evacuations
Mandatory evacuations were ordered for residents in the unincorporated Ojai area, including Matilija Canyon, North Fork and Camino Cielo.
Evacuation warnings were issued for the following areas:
- Ventura RV Resort
- Community of Foster Park/Camp Chaffee
- Old Creek Road
- Structures on Grada Avenue and Truelo Avenue in unincorporated Camarillo
WATCH: Evacuations issued as storm starts to pummel SoCal
Evacuation orders and warnings are in effect for portions of Southern California due to a powerful storm.
Santa Maria Road evacuations
Officials issued an evacuation order for residents living on Santa Maria Road to Topanga Canyon due to the high risk of mud or debris flows in the area.
Evacuation orders were also issued for the Owen Fire and Agua Fire burn areas.
La Tuna Canyon evacuations
An evacuation warning was upgraded to a mandatory order for residents along La Tuna Canyon Road in Sun Valley. The affected area encompasses Horse Haven to the north, Martindale to the east, Primrose to the south and Ledge to the west.
Several evacuation centers have been established.
Santa Barbara County evacuations
Evacuation orders are in place in several parts of Santa Barbara. Officials are ordering people in those areas to leave by 2 p.m. Sunday.
The evacuation areas include areas along waterways associated with the Thomas, Cave and Alisal burn areas and properties in the vicinity of Sycamore Creek, from Stanwood Drive down to parts of Ninos Drive, in the city of Santa Barbara. The incoming storm has the potential to produce flash flooding, debris flows and landslides.
L.A. County burn scar area evacuations
Evacuation warnings were issued for areas of unincorporated L.A.
Duarte evacuations
An evacuation warning will go into effect for some residents around the Fish Fire burn scar area in Duarte. The order will go into effect at 6 p.m. Sunday for residents on Melcanyon Road between Brookridge Road and Fish Canyon Road.
The warning will be in place through 10 a.m. Tuesday.
How much is it going to rain?
The multiple-day storm could drop 3 to 6 inches of rain in coastal and valley areas, and 6 to 12 inches in the mountains, with much of that downpour occurring in a 24- to 36-hour period between Sunday into Monday, the NWS said.
“Historically, rainfall of this magnitude creates major hydrologic problems in our area and there’s no reason to think this won’t happen with this event,” forecasters said.
The heavy rain will be accompanied by strong winds in many areas, blowing at speeds of 30 to 50 mph in parts of L.A. County, and reaching up to 60 to 80 mph in higher mountain areas and the Golden State (5) Freeway corridor.
A flood watch will be in effect from Sunday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon for Los Angeles County.
“Given the sheer amounts of rainfall expected in the time period, the 3-6 hour rain rates could be problematic, exceeding USGS thresholds which could lead to mud/debris flow issues as well as swift water rescues in the local rivers and streams,” the NWS said.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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