California braces for more
LOS ANGELES – Californians braced for even more rain Tuesday as they struggled to recover from storms that have left at least nine people dead, triggered mudslides and tornadoes, and washed away roads and runways.
Among the victims was a Nevada woman caught in an avalanche while cross-country skiing near Lake Tahoe, and a 16-year-old Orange County girl doing homework on a computer when a mudslide crashed through the wall of her home.
In Ventura County, officials closed the small Santa Paula airport Tuesday after more than 155 feet of runway collapsed into the rushing Santa Clara River. Chunks of concrete crumbled into the water throughout the day.
“We’ve lost nearly the entire west third of the airport,” said Rowena Mason, president of the Santa Paula Airport Association. “This is millions and millions of dollars worth of damage.”
Rescues occurred across the state, including a woman who was pulled Tuesday from rushing, waist-high waters of the Rio Hondo River in Montebello.
Forecasters said another strong system expected early today could bring severe winds and drop an additional inch or more of rain on Southern California.
Despite brief glimpses of sun, a flash flood watch was in effect across much of Southern California on Tuesday. A tornado warning was also issued for coastal areas.
Authorities said dozens of homes were evacuated or red-tagged – marked as uninhabitable – because they threatened to collapse from sliding hillsides.
Mudslides forced Amtrak officials to suspend train service north of Los Angeles to Santa Barbara at least through Thursday.
The wild weather came from a series of storms that began battering the state on Thursday, dumping 8.15 inches of rain on downtown Los Angeles.
A total of 33.09 inches of rain has fallen in the city since July 1, when California begins its yearly rainfall measurements. The record, 38.18 inches, was set in 1883-1884.
Storms have caused $52.5 million in damage to Los Angeles County roads and facilities since the beginning of the year. The county has spent $9 million on repairs, including $500,000 since the weekend, officials said.