LOS ANGELES – The City of Los Angeles continues to respond urgently to the storm and drive recovery efforts. Emergency crews are responding to multiple reports of mud and debris flows, power outages and obstructions in the roadway. This will be the final update from the storm. Angelenos should continue to visit emergency.lacity.gov for up-to-date information.
As in normal procedure, the County of Los Angeles is in the process of assessing damage countywide and supporting residents with their individual recovery efforts. Read more here and review and complete the damage collection survey here.
Here is the latest information regarding the City’s response:
Flooding:
In advance of the storm, LAFD added additional teams for swift water rescue, community emergency response (CERT), urban search and rescue, hand crews, tractor companies, helicopter pilots, command staff, and 9-1-1 dispatchers to assist the 1,000 firefighters already on duty. Over the course of the storm, firefighters assisted approximately 50 motorists stranded in water to safety and LAFD Swift Water Teams performed 5 rescues.
Mud & Debris Flows:
City agencies are responding to reports of mudslides and debris flows particularly along canyon roads and hillsides. Commuters are advised to avoid driving on canyon roads.
Reported impacts as of 9:00 AM, February 9:
16 buildings have been red-tagged (no entry)
33 buildings yellow-tagged (possession collection only)
There are significant mudslides and washouts near the 8600-8700 block of Mulholland Drive between Bowmont Drive to Skyline Drive due to the heavy rain in Los Angeles which began on Sunday.
City departments continue with an all-hands-on-deck approach: Building and Safety Inspectors are assessing homes near the affected areas, and the Bureau of Engineering team has assessed the need for restoration of slope stability and has already begun to reconstruct the affected hillsides. On Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power successfully relocated a power pole in the affected area to a nearby location on the hillside. No customers experienced an outage during this relocation work. Additionally, firefighters arrived on-scene at a house near the impacts of the mudslide on the 8600 block of Edwin Drive to ensure safety and verified that there is currently no immediate risk to the residents.
Department of Transportation Traffic Officers have been deployed to support multiple closures and direct drivers away from impacted areas. As recovery work continues, drivers are advised to avoid canyon roads which may be subject to sudden and intermittent closures as city crews work on assessment and repairs.
Power Outages:
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has reported that as of 9:00 AM. Thursday, approximately 1,456 customers remain without power. Due to crews working around the clock, 100,397 have had their power restored since the start of the storm.
Currently, communities that remain without power are portions of Mid-Wilshire and Westwood in the metro area and portions of Reseda, Lake Balboa, Granada Hills, Canoga Park, and Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley. Several of the outages occurred last night and could be a result of water intrusion into underground electric vaults or other issues related to the rainstorm.
Outages caused by fallen trees can take additional time to restore, as tree limbs need to be cleared before work can begin on fixing the power structures. Other complications include potential flooding in multiple underground vaults which need to be located and then pumped out before repairs can take place. Saturated soil and wind conditions during storms can increase the likelihood of downed or damaged wires. Never approach or touch any wire that is down or dangling. Always assume wires are live and dangerous and immediately report it by calling 9-1-1.
Stormwater Capture:
In collaboration with LA County Flood Control and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, preliminary numbers show that more than 7 billion gallons of stormwater have been captured in Los Angeles alone since the beginning of Sunday’s storm event, which is enough to supply more than 86,000 households.
Public Works Storm Response:
Since 8:00 AM, bureaus with the Department of Public Works have reported the following operations and calls for service.
553 fallen trees and branches
592 mudslides
1,180 reports of potholes
1,511 catch basins and stormwater conveyance systems cleared
Augmented Winter Shelter Operations:
The City, County and Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) activated 6 additional shelters for people experiencing homelessness, in addition to the 7 previously established seasonal winter shelters. In advance of the expected storm, Mayor Bass directed an increase in interim shelter and vouchers ahead of the rain, opening additional Recreation and Park shelters in different areas of the city which provided hundreds of additional beds for unhoused Angelenos seeking shelter from the rain.
LAHSA outreach began on Monday, January 29, and continued throughout the week to inform unhoused Angelenos of the storm and to bring them indoors. Targeted outreach was done in the waterways and high flooding areas, including in the L.A. River and Sepulveda Basin. Transportation was made available through 211.
For Angelenos staying in these shelters, services and outreach were provided immediately once they entered the sites and have ramped up now that the rain has stopped and continues with the goal of connecting unhoused Angelenos in a shelter with ongoing services and interim housing options. The 6 shelter sites have begun demobilization, continuing the connection to services and housing and working to return the Recreation and Parks sites to their intended use so that programming for youth, families, and seniors can continue. All of the Recreation and Parks sites will be closed by 10:00 PM on the evening of Friday, February 9.
Traffic Impacts & Road Closures:
Since 10:00 AM on Sunday, LAPD has reported zero traffic fatalities.
Mulholland Drive is closed between Skyline Drive and Bowmont Drive:
LADOT Traffic Officers have been deployed to support closures and direct drivers away from impacted areas. As recovery work continues, drivers are advised to avoid canyon roads which may be subject to sudden and intermittent closures as city crews work on assessment and repairs.
Coldwater Canyon Blvd. Southbound is closed to traffic at Mulholland Drive.
Sepulveda Basin is in the process of re-opening and is expected to be fully re-opened by the end of the day today pending road conditions. Impacted streets include:
Burbank Blvd. between the 405 FWY and Balboa Blvd.
Woodley Ave. between Burbank and Victory
Hayvenhurst Ave. and Burbank Blvd.
Additional closures due to flooding or debris:
I-5 FWY S to 110 South Interchange is closed