Heavy Rain Floods San Fernando Valley Streets

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Hopefully, drivers delayed their car washes this week, because heavy overnight rain flooded streets across the San Fernando Valley Tuesday.

Several areas of Los Angeles were inundated with rain, including Woodland Hills, which got more than 4 ½ inches of rain as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Because LA has been rather dry, all that rain has pooled in street gutters, causing widespread flooding.

CBS2's Kara Finnstrom shared video of her soggy drive near Lankershim and Moorpark in North Hollywood.

Streets in the San Fernando Valley often flood, even in moderate rainfall, according to residents like Helene Klein.

"We have complained to the city many times because it doesn't drain," the longtime Studio City resident said.

The Department of Public Works says that LA Sanitation proactively cleans more than 38,000 catch basins and storm drains but heavy rainfall can overwhelm the drains.

"Areas that lack, or have undersized storm drains, and are geographically low lying are prone to flooding," a statement said. "The City of Los Angeles has a list of priority areas where new storm drains are needed and is working to implement those plans as funding becomes available."

Further out, county roads and streets weren't faring much better. According to Los Angeles County Public Works, Lake Hughes Road was closed at mile marker 5.99 to 9.02 in Castiac due to mud and debris, and a rockslide has shut down Glendora Ridge Road and Glendora Mountain Road until further notice.

If floodwaters are exceptionally high, authorities say drivers should not proceed through a flooded intersection because water can get into vehicle engines and cause stalls or damage the vehicle.

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