The first month of 2010 brought rain and snow to many parts of Southern California forcing home evacuations and road closures as three wintry storms slammed into Los Angeles and surrounding counties.
As storms grew more severe, rocks and other debris stranded cars while flooding and mudslides forced evacuations in several areas. Of paramount concern were residents in the La Canada Flintridge area who experienced evacuations in September 2009 due to the Station Fire – the largest fire in modern Los Angeles history.
With the burn areas most vulnerable to flooding and mudslides, American Red Cross volunteers worked around the clock to staff shelters for local residents of La Canada Flintridge, Sunland, Glendale and Sierra Madre.
Nearly 2 dozen evacuees stayed at area shelters waiting for the storms to end and word that it was safe to return home. In all, the Red Cross staffed 9 shelters from Santa Barbara to San Diego counties.
As blue skies return to Southern California, the task of clean-up remains with the threat of additional winter storms likely. The American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles will continue to monitor critical areas and work with local county officials to open shelters as necessary.
Stay Prepared! The American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles reminds you to:
Know What to Expect
• Know your area’s flood risk. If it has been raining hard for several hours, or steadily raining for several days, be alert to the possibility of a flood and listen to local radio or TV stations for flood information.
Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit Containing
• Visit www.redcrossla.org for details.
When a Flash Flood WARNING Is Issued
• Evacuate immediately. You may have only seconds to escape.
• Move to higher ground away from rivers, streams, creeks, and storm drains. Do not drive around barricades . . . they are there for your safety.
• If your car stalls in rapidly rising waters, abandon it immediately and climb to higher ground.
Be alert of mudslide danger
• Landslides and mudslides are typically associated with periods of heavy rainfall. In areas burned by forest and brush fires, a lower threshold of precipitation may initiate landslides.
• If your area has a history of mudslides, stay alert. Many fatalities occur when people are sleeping. Listen to local radio for warnings of intense rainfall.
• If you are in areas susceptible to landslides and debris flows, consider leaving if it is safe to do so.
• Listen for any unusual sounds that might indicate moving debris, such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together.
• If you are near a stream or channel, be alert for any sudden increase or decrease in water flow and for a change from clear to muddy water.
• Be especially alert when driving.
