Authorities issued evacuation warnings and orders for tens of thousands of Los Angeles residents Wednesday after heavy rain created the potential for deadly mudslides in the Palisades Fire zone.
CalFire urged citizens to be ready to flee at a moment’s notice should heavy rains create deadly rivers of mud and debris in the denuded hillsides.
Emergency crews have visited 133 at-risk homes to issue mandatory evacuation orders, LA Mayor Karen Bass announced.
On top of potential mudslides, the city is bracing for flooding and power outages, the mayor added.
Emergency crews are patrolling at-risk areas, and the fire department is supplying free sandbags to help people barricade their property.
Los Angeles has had an unusually dry rainy season, but after January’s devastating wildfires, any drizzly day could spell disaster for Angelenos.
In January, the first rain of the year caused shutdowns on major highways and emergency vehicles to get stuck in the mud even before the Palisades and Eaton fires had stopped burning.
During that storm, the mayor issued an executive order to shore up burn areas and try to prevent toxic runoff from washing into the ocean and local waterways.
The mayor also warned of hazardous runoff for the latest storm, adding that evacuation warnings could extend through Thursday as rain continues to pound the city.
Read the full article here
