Los Angeles Endures Heavy Rain but Appears to Avoid Major Landslides
The New York Times
An intense storm caused flooding and forced evacuations in areas burned by wildfires.
Heavy rain fell across a large swath of Southern California on Thursday, flooding some roadways but largely sparing the region from the severe damage that officials had warned was possible in areas recently burned by wildfires.
The Southern California areas scorched by flames last month had been of particular concern because the soil in those areas can repel water and allow sheets of mud to race downhill and collect debris along the way.
As the brunt of the storms arrived on Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings in Malibu and Pacific Palisades, two communities that suffered heavy damage during the Palisades fire last month. Shortly thereafter, the Weather Service issued the same warning in the Altadena area, where thousands of structures were destroyed by the Eaton fire, and across much of Los Angeles County, affecting about seven million people.
But by early evening, the brunt of the rain had passed through the Los Angeles area without causing widespread damage.
“It’s moving out,” said Carol Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
The biggest concern was that a torrent of rain within a short period could have caused landslides in the wildfire areas. At one point on Thursday, muddy water cascaded across parts of the Pacific Coast Highway, prompting officials to close the roadway.
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