California Flash Flooding Triggers Mudslides, Stranding Motorists
A massive mudslide pushed up to five feet of mud across California's Internstate 5 on Thursday trapping cars and forcing crews to close the highway in both directions for nearly 40 miles.
Caltrans officials worked overnight to remove the accumulated mud from the Grapevine area, but have yet to set timetable for the central highway to reopen as dozens of abandoned cars must first be cleared from the roadway.
Vehicles were backed up for miles stranding over 100 people with some still waiting for help from emergency responders early
Although much of California has been experiencing a severe drought this year, heavy rain fell in parts of the state Thursday afternoon, thanks to a slow-moving storm system.
Flooding also swamped roads in the San Gabriels of north L.A. County and parts of the Antelope Valley.
Scary scenes also came out of the Lake Hughes area along and near Lake Hughes Road, as well as nearby Elizabeth Lake.
Numerous vehicles in the area were just about completely submerged in mud. Elizabeth Lake and Lake Hughes are about 20 miles east of the section of I-5 that was shut down due to mudslides.
About 25 people were reportedly sheltering in place at Hughes-Elizabeth Lake Elementary School Thursday night, according to an L.A. County official.
A mesonet station southwest of Lancaster, California, tallied 2.99 inches of rain in just 30 minutes Thursday afternoon. Vehicles were stuck in floodwater and mud west of Lancaster. Quarter to golf-ball size hail pounded Leona Valley and Palmdale and there were two reports of funnel clouds near Lake Hughes and West Palmdale.
