Los Angeles faces new disasters after fires

Image created from video frames

Tengrinews.kz - Los Angeles, which suffered from devastating fires a month ago, is now facing landslides and floods after heavy rains, according to New York Post.

Flooding and mudslides were reported in the Hollywood Hills, Pacific Palisades, and Altadena areas.

"Affected neighborhoods include Malibu, San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, the Westside, downtown LA, Altadena, parts of the San Gabriel Mountains, East LA, Southeast LA, and Whittier," the report says.

Be safe and stay vigilant. #LARain is pushing mud onto PCH & has closed #MalibuCanyon. Drive with caution & avoid the area if possible. pic.twitter.com/Qp8mop5dtW
— UnifiedLA (@UnifiedLA) February 14, 2025

"Burn scar debris flow — casually referred to as mudslides — occurs when soil is so thoroughly scorched that it does not absorb rain, causing the precipitation to simply follow gravity's course," the report says.

It is noted that the National Weather Service issued a warning the day before, urging residents to "prepare for a high risk of flooded roads, debris in areas affected by fires, and strong winds and brief tornadoes." Evacuation orders were issued for some areas.

"Angelenos should prepare for rain through Friday, with this evening bringing the highest risk of heavy rain, flooding, debris flow, and wind gusts," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass wrote on Platform X.

Please stay away from streams and rivers during #LARain. The water can rise quickly and without warning, sweeping away people and objects in its path. pic.twitter.com/aeY7A9FadJ
— Los Angeles County (@CountyofLA) February 13, 2025

Residents are now being warned to stay indoors, avoid trees and roads, and stay away from areas affected by fires.

Palisades/LA Mudslides Heavy rains bring ash, rock, mud, down Sunset Blvd from Palisades to PCH. At one point intersection under 4 ft of debris. Further north up PCH LAFD car swept by flows OFF of PCH onto beach. Not certain if driver/firefighter was injured. @knxnews pic.twitter.com/zRpnYmY59W
— Pete Demetriou (@knxpete) February 14, 2025

The heavy rains triggered avalanches of ash, rock, and mud that flooded Sunset Boulevard from Pacific Palisades to Pacific Coast Highway. In one area, an intersection was covered in up to 4 feet of debris. Access to that section is closed.

⚠️PCH Mudslides and Flooding ⚠️

Pacific Coast Highway between Chautauqua Boulevard and Carbon Beach Terrace is FULLY CLOSED until at least 6 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 14.

Only Emergency Responders may access PCH until further notice due to a HARD CLOSURE of the route. pic.twitter.com/w0FMDmlWft
— Caltrans District 7 (@CaltransDist7) February 13, 2025

Further north on the Pacific Coast Highway, floodwaters washed a Los Angeles Fire Department vehicle off the road and onto the beach.

An LAFD member was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries after the vehicle they were driving along Pacific Coast Highway was swept into the Pacific Ocean in a debris flow south of #Malibu. 🎥by @StephanieFuerte and @BreakingChesky. https://t.co/J6IOFtOhKe pic.twitter.com/LkP3urFMVg
— Bill Feather (@BFeatherNBC) February 14, 2025

Canon Boulevard in Los Angeles is also covered in mud, silt, and debris, amid the burnt-out structures destroyed by the massive fires in January.

Crews check on mud and debris flowing down Canon Blvd. as significant #flooding & a high risk of #landslides are expected from an atmospheric river storm arriving in Altadena and Southern California.

More #GettyNewsVideo 🎥 Los Angeles Times Video 👉 https://t.co/iUXrQHWBSd pic.twitter.com/uJo3QgZAJ0
— Getty Images News (@GettyImagesNews) February 13, 2025

Earlier, we reported that the damage from the Los Angeles fires has surpassed that of Hurricane Helene and the Maui fires, with AccuWeather's preliminary estimates of losses ranging from $250 billion to $275 billion.