Storms Dump Nearly A Foot Of Rain On Southern California
MALIBU (CBSLA) — This week's storms, which wreaked havoc on recent burn areas and on Southern California freeways, produced nearly a foot of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
All evacuations in recent burn areas have been lifted and all Malibu schools will be open Friday, although with Topanga Canyon Road still closed at Pacific Coast Highway to Grandview Road, Topanga Elementary Charter School will be relocated to Woodland Hills Charter Academy. But authorities are still busy cleaning up from rock slides, creek and river overflows, and freeway flooding.
Several roads in Malibu and in Ventura County, where the Woolsey Fire burned, remain closed, including Malibu Canyon Road, where a boulder came down on a woman's car Wednesday night, smashing into the rear driver's side door and narrowly missing the driver. She suffered minor injuries.
Another woman was critically injured by a falling boulder while hiking in Malibu Thursday morning.
Caltrans wasn't spared the falling boulders, either. One of the agency's work vehicles was also struck by falling rocks on Topanga Canyon Boulevard.
Boulders and debris were reported in roads all over the canyon roads that wind through the Santa Monica Mountains.
The Ventura River overflowed and flooded a neighboring RV park. The river rose 10 feet in three hours, but by noon, it was reported to be below the flood stage at 14.5 feet.
In Lockwood Valley, in the Los Padres National Forest, Highway 33 remains closed from Fairview Road to Highway 166 after the Reyes Creek crossing became impassable due to severe flooding. There are also several areas of Lockwood Valley Road between Highway 33 and Chico Larson Road with several hazardous creek crossings.
Crews are working to clear Highway 33.
The storm may have passed, but it left high surf in its wake. Waves of 10 to 17 feet are forecast for the west facing beaches of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and there could be flooding coastal areas.
