In Oak Glen, California, mudslides and debris flows severely affected several Southern California communities by uprooting trees, damaging homes, and leaving drivers stranded for up to 10 hours due to heavy rains, as reported by authorities.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and rescuers successfully freed those trapped, with no missing persons reported, according to Christopher Prater, public information officer for San Bernardino County Fire.
The mudslides, which occurred late Thursday, impacted small mountain areas like Forest Falls, Oak Glen, and Potato Canyon in San Bernardino County, located just east of Los Angeles, as confirmed by the county’s fire protection district’s statement.
Rescue teams managed to save 10 individuals who were in at least six vehicles stranded on state Route 38 around Jenks Lake, near the San Bernardino National Forest, noted the fire district. This challenging route winds through dense forests, maneuvering up the mountainside, and connects cities east of Los Angeles with the resort area of Big Bear Lake.
Kael Steel told KNBC-TV he was driving down the mountain from Big Bear to head to an amusement park when the rain started pounding.
“Suddenly we started seeing rocks and stuff coming down the side of the mountain,” he said.
Steel observed vehicles attempting to turn around, indicating road blockages. He attempted to ascend the mountain but encountered another obstruction, leading him to reverse direction; in doing so, he realized that a road he had crossed mere seconds before had vanished.
“There’s no road there anymore,” he said.
The route was still closed as of Friday morning, the California Highway Patrol said.
Assessment teams are set to evaluate impacted hillside regions, though immediate information on the number of affected homes or the damage extent was not available from officials.
“The community obviously has been impacted fairly significantly,” Prater said. “How bad, we don’t know yet.”
Forest Falls, a tiny town just off Route 38, was walloped by mudslides three years ago.
