Mudslides submerge cars, truck in muck

Emergency teams rescued 14 people from a section of Interstate 5 north of Los Angeles late Thursday after flash floods unleashed mudslides that stranded hundreds of vehicles and forced many drivers to scramble to the roof tops of their cars.

Cars became stranded in heavy mud Thursday afternoon near Lake Hughes, California.

The slide was caused by a storm system that produced heavy rain across the region.

The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings across much of Los Angeles County into the evening with showers and thundershowers expected.

“The most terrifying part was when the hill gave out and the road was just gone”, Nuesca said.

A second highway was also closed because of another mudslide.

The northbound freeway was reopened shortly before 1 p.m., and two lanes on the southbound side were reopened about 4:15 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.

The interstate segment remained closed on Friday morning as crews swept the road surface of mud and other debris and cleared drainage culverts, Caltrans spokeswoman Lauren Wonder said.

Officials said the landslide affected a 200-square-mile area near Lake Hughes, which is about 50 miles from Tehachapi, CA.

Meanwhile, Amtrak Thruway bus service between Los Angeles and Bakersfield was suspended for Saturday because of the problems on the 5 and state Route 58, Amtrak announced.

Hundreds of semis were backed up for 10 miles on the freeway at one point Friday because of the closure.

Isolated thunderstorms on Wednesday were followed up by more widespread storms on Thursday.

Mike Halpert, deputy director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Centre said: “A strong El Nino is in place and should exert a strong influence over our weather this winter”.

“They were able to use their vehicles as a security blanket, to stand on top of stay higher than the water”, Capt. Keith Mora of the Los Angeles County Fire Department told the AP.

“It’s kind of like a tailgate party without the party”, she said.

Nuesca said the family got out of the vehicle “just in time” after she reassured the children, “We’re not going to die”.

A southerly air flow streamed into the area ahead of the storm system, bringing increased moisture and atmospheric instability, NWS forecasters said.