Drivers across Southern California are dealing with severe flooding and road closures early Wednesday brought by widespread and sometimes torrential rain.
The high water flow has created mudslides and dangerous conditions, leading to rescues of driver trapped in the water.
In Baldwin Hills, the northbound side of South La Brea is closed by Don Lorenzo Drive until Coliseum due to a mudslide that threatened the foundation of a home. The mudslide also trapped at least two vehicles. One of the drivers told NBC4 that he was driving home from work when the mud began to slide down the hill and eventually ended up in front of his vehicle.
“The mud pushed me over to the next lane and at that point I couldn’t move anymore for at least half an hour,” the driver said.
The rest of the road will remain closed for quite sometime as the heavy rain continues to fall.
In the city of Commerce, the LA County Fire Department responded to calls around 3 a.m. that multiple vehicles were trapped in high water.
Firefighters arrived to South Atlantic Boulevard and Sheila Street and were able to push the car from the deepwater to a safer location. City officials arrived on scene and shut down both directions of Atlantic Boulevard.
Also in Jurupa Valley the Riverside County Fire Department saved a driver from swift moving water on Beach Street and 58th Street.
Around 3 a.m. firefighters and members of the swift water team were able to access the vehicle and bring the driver to safety.
As the rain continues authorities will continue to shut down roadways that are presenting dangerous driving conditions.
Rain will continue to fall the rest of the Wednesday morning and last until the early evening before skies begin to clear.
The wind advisory issued in LA County has been lifted but remains over the San Bernardino County mountains until 9 p.m.
The rest of the week will remain dry and there will be a break from wet weather.
In Pomona all lanes of the Northbound 71 Freeway at Holt Avenue are closed. A large pothole opened up in the far left lane causing nearly 30 drivers to get flat tires.
The traffic from this closure is backed up all the way from the Westbound 60 Freeway connector.
Los Angeles city officials said four Sepulveda Basin intersections were shut down at least through the morning due to heavy rain from the previous night: Victory Boulevard and Woodley Avenue; Burbank Boulevard and the San Diego (405) Freeway; Burbank and Havenhurst Avenue; and Burbank and Balboa Boulevard.
Late Tuesday, Caltrans announced that all lanes of Pacific Coast Highway were closed between Seapoint Street and Warner Avenue in Huntington Beach due to flooding.
In Beverly Hills, a sinkhole temporarily closed northbound Beverly Drive to Coldwater Canyon.
City News Service contributed to this reporting.
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Source: NBC Los Angeles
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