Heavy rainfall along a Southern California burn scar set off a mudslide Sunday night, causing multiple cars to become stuck in the debris and prompting rescue efforts.
The FOX Forecast Center was tracking Flash Flood Warnings issued by the National Weather Service until 9:15 p.m. Pacific time Sunday for Los Angeles and Ventura counties as strong thunderstorms moved through Southern California.
According to the NWS, heavy rainfall was reported in the eastern Antelope Valley and San Gabriel Mountains, with 0.47 inches in 15 minutes recorded at Lake Los Angeles.
Just before 8 p.m. Pacific, the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to multiple cars stuck in a mudslide and debris flow in Lake Hughes on Pine Canyon Road. Fire department units hoisted people stuck in their vehicles.
The mudslides prompted multiple road closures in Lake Hughes Sunday evening.
L.A. County Public Works reported the mudslide was blocking all lanes of Lake Hughes Road, and road maintenance crews were working to clear the debris.
There were no reports of injuries from the incident.
The Flash Flood Warning included Lake Hughes and multiple burn scars, including the 2020 Bobcat Fire, one of the largest in Los Angeles County history, which consumed more than 100,000 acres.
The remanence Tropical Storm Kay dumped rain over Southern California throughout the weekend prompting flooding concerns throughout the region.
Lake Hughes picked up more than 1.5 inches of rain over the past 24 hours.
“That is a lot for this area, especially up in the mountain area … we get that heavier rainfall, it makes it all that more likely we could see that potential for land slides,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Jane Minar said. “A lot of the activity and the disruptive weather has moved out, but we could still see some looser soils that could still bring that threat over the next day or so.”
Mudslides develop when flash flooding or excess water accumulates on the ground, creating a surge of water-saturated rock and debris. Mudslides often start on steep slopes or areas previously affected by wildfires with destroyed vegetation.