LOS ANGELES — A mudslide closed lanes on a Los Angeles freeway and there were spins-outs and crashes on slick roads Tuesday as a fall storm dumped up to 3 inches of rain on Southern California and raised the risk of flooding from burn scars.
The 3 inches of rain reported in Southern California fell mostly on foothill areas, the National Weather Service said in a forecast discussion.
Mandatory evacuations were ordered in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, because of possible debris flows from the 2024 Airport Fire, the county government said, but it was later lifted.
The California Highway Patrol for the Central Los Angeles area reported “multiple incidents” and urged drivers to slow down. Two of three lanes of State Route 110 southbound were closed by a mudslide, it said, but the lanes later reopened.
“A lot of flooding, in some spots where I was walking by it was water up to the curb,” Francisco Davila, who walked to work, told NBC Los Angeles in Long Beach. “It was pretty bad this morning.”
The weather service in Los Angeles called it "a strong system for any time of year, let alone October," and said Tuesday afternoon that it had left the area.
There were some reports of up to 5 inches on the San Gabriel Mountains, the forecast office said in a discussion. But most areas got around 1 to 1½ inches, it said.
There were concerns about the burn scars from the Palisades and Eaton fires, which broke out in January amid 100-mph winds and destroyed entire communities in one of the worst wildfire disasters in Los Angeles history.
Evacuation warnings were issued for Malibu and other areas affected by the Palisades Fire, and an evacuation warning was issued for the Eaton Fire, which is in the Altadena area in Los Angeles County. Residents were told to be ready to leave because of the threat of mud and debris slides.
Evacuation warnings in Los Angeles were lifted Tuesday evening.
Los Angeles Mayor Bass said that the worst of the storm was behind the city but urged residents to use caution on wet roads.
"City crews and public safety officials rapidly mobilized to prepare for this weather event and to respond to any potential emergencies — their work kept Angelenos safe, especially as it relates to burn scar areas,” Bass said in a statement around 6 p.m. Tuesday.
A dozen people were killed in the January Palisades Fire. Last week, investigators announced the arrest of a 29-year-old former Uber driver and charged him with starting the fire.
Nine people died in the Eaton Fire. The cause of that fire has not been determined.
On the East Coast, a powerful nor’easter continues to move away from the region. Coastal flood advisories and warnings remain in effect until Tuesday night for parts of the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast coast. Forecasts indicate that minor additional flooding is possible during high tides.
Meanwhile, in Alaska, two people remained unaccounted for after remnants of Typhoon Halong struck remote communities on the western Alaska coast over the weekend, officials said. At least one person, a woman, has been confirmed dead, Alaska State Troopers said late Monday afternoon.
The Coast Guard and other searchers suspended the search for the remaining two missing people Tuesday afternoon after they scoured 67.2 square nautical miles, state emergency officials said.
The suspension means the effort know will turn to the recovery of their bodies, the state emergency management department said.
