Mudslides, Downed Trees As Heavy Rains Continue To Pummel Southland

MALIBU (CBSLA) – The Southland is getting no respite from the stormy weather that has dumped several inches of rain since last week, with Los Angeles County likely to see steady showers throughout the day Monday as wildfire burn areas continue to experience mudslides and flooding.

The Pacific Coast Highway -- which has been intermittently closed throughout the weekend -- was shut down in both directions as of 1:30 p.m. Monday between Broad Beach Road in Malibu and Las Posas Road in Ventura County. Only residents were being allowed through.

Topanga Canyon Boulevard was also shut down between the PCH and Grand View Drive due to a mudslide. Caltrans crews were conducting repairs and there was no word on when it would reopen. Mulholland Highway remained closed between Kanan Dume and Las Virgenes roads.

Meanwhile, a flash flood warning expired at 12:15 p.m. for the Woolsey Fire burn area in L.A. and Ventura counties.

Kanan Dume Road and Malibu Canyon Road were all open Monday after being shut down over the weekend due to flooding and debris flows.

With no vegetation to hold hillsides in place, there is the ongoing risk that too much water could send charred debris flowing into neighborhoods.

On Saturday, A construction worker was rescued after falling into a large sinkhole on Yerba Buena Road, near Yellow Road, north of Leo Carrillo State Park in the hills above Malibu. An excavator and its operator fell into the sinkhole. The road was shutdown indefinitely.

In the 300 block of North Arroyo Drive in San Gabriel, a large tree came crashing down on onto a parked car overnight Sunday. There were no injuries.

In the Hollywood Hills, two homes were temporarily evacuated Sunday after a portion of a deck collapsed on a hillside above. Officials determined erosion was to blame. No one was hurt.

Los Angeles County was expected to see up to 1 ½ inches of rain Monday, with up to 2 1/2 inches of rain in the San Gabriel Mountains and foothills, the National Weather Service reported.

The Grapevine area could see snowfall late Monday and into Tuesday, with 8 to 16 inches of snowfall in elevations above 6,500 feet in the San Gabriel Mountains.

The showers should move out late Tuesday into Wednesday, with the next chance of rain Friday evening into Saturday, NWS Meteorologist Curt Kaplan said.

Rainfall totals for the year beginning Oct. 1, 2018, are above average and well above the previous rainfall year, Kaplan said. Downtown Los Angeles has seen 12.40 inches so far, with the average 7.5 inches and only 1.89 inches the previous year by this date, he said. The Sierra snow pack is 115-120 percent of normal.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)

In:
• Woolsey Fire