Tag: Mudslides

MALIBU—On Monday, December 29, the city of Malibu indicated that the ground is saturated after the heavy rains, and NWS forecasts a high risk of downed trees through Monday due to moderate to locally strong Santa Ana Winds. Additional rockslides/mudslides are possible later this week with the next round of rain, expected Wednesday, December 31, 2025, through Sunday, January 4, 2026. See NWS weather info: https://www.weather.gov/lox/

City Public Works will patrol roads, clear drainage, and pre-place heavy equipment and K-rails, and place backup generators to keep traffic signals operating, if needed.

Residents should be prepared for mudslides, debris flows, rocks, and water on roads, especially in canyons and recent burn areas. Rain rates as low as 0.50 inches per hour can trigger debris flows. Be prepared for power and traffic signal outages. Under California law, come to a complete stop at any malfunctioning traffic signal. Watch for crews and work vehicles and check on vulnerable neighbors.

SANDBAGS
• All LA County Fire Stations have sandbags (some have sand)
• Camp 13, 1252 Encinal Cyn Rd – sand & bags
• Fire Station 70, 3970 Carbon Cyn Rd – sand & bags
• Zuma Beach Main Entrance, 3000 Pacific Coast Highway – sand & bags
• Malibu Library, 23519 Civic Center Way – filled sandbags through Apr 15 (staff will load your vehicle 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. before/during storms)
• Do not remove sand from beaches.

Sandbag locator website – https://dpw.lacounty.gov/dsg/sandbags/

By Danny Jones

MALIBU—On Friday, March 14, the LASD Lost Hills Station announced that Pacific Coast Highway has been cleared of the earlier rockslide and deemed safe to pass through.

Effective immediately:

-Las Flores Canyon Road – Back to Resident Only Closure (Emergency Vehicles, Public Utility Vehicles, Residents and Pass Holders)

-Tuna Canyon – Remains a Hard Closure (Emergency Vehicles Only) at the 3400 block (southbound)

-Pacific Coast Highway – Back to Resident Only Closure (Emergency Vehicles, Public Utility Vehicles, Residents and Pass Holders)

Recent mudslides because of storms last week impacted road closures in the region. Pacific Coast Highway in the Palisades burn area was under a temporary FULL CLOSURE until Caltrans can assess slopes near Big Rock Drive experiencing mudslides.

Only emergency workers are allowed on the route. Utilize alternate routes including US-101.

The LASD is informing the public that motorists should pre-plan their drive and use alternate routes. Road closures and reopening are subject to change as we continue to monitor road conditions.

By Trevor

HOLLYWOOD HILLS—On March 24, several homes in the Hollywood Hills area were damaged after recent rainfall. According to local meteorologists, Sunday’s bouts of rain added to the already saturated ground sending mud and debris down below the hillside on the 9200 block of Flicker Way.

The area near Sierra Mar Place, where comedian Jerry Seinfeld use to live, has also been one of the places most seriously affected by the Spring rains this year.

According to The Landslide Blog, on EOS written by Dave Petley, due to a landslide, four homes in the area have been red-tagged or declared “unsafe for occupation.” Petley explained that aerial video footage showed the rotation of blocks of sandstone and siltstone bedrock has caused large amounts of “weathered material” into the homes below.

According to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, “Rotational slides (slumps) are landslides that occur along a curved or spoon-shaped surface. Back-tilting may occur near the scarp of the landslide and there is often a toe of displaced material. Rotational slides often occur because the internal strength of the material is overcome by its own weight.”

According to World Weather information, Hollywood Hills has a sixty-one percent chance of more rain in the forecast for Saturday, March 30, and Sunday, March 31.

By Sharon