KTLA

Mudslides trap dozens of motorists in Lake Hughes area

Mudslides in the Lake Hughes area trapped dozens of motorists after heavy rains hit the region Sunday evening.

A large mudslide was reported in the area of 20120 Pine Canyon Road around 7:41 p.m., a Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesperson confirmed.


Emergency crews rescued about 50 people from vehicles that were stuck in the area due to the mudslide, the spokesperson said.

No major injuries were immediately reported in the incident, though some in the area experienced significant property damage.

Gary Hall, who’s working to open a vocational school called Hollywood Impact Studios off of Lake Hughes Road, said he relies on wells for drinking, showering and fire prevention, but a large mudslide left them unusable.

“A wall of water — it had to have been 20 feet high, you can see it up on the trees, on the buildings, on everything — came through this valley and just took out everything. It looks like a nuclear bomb went off,” Hall said.

A staging area for the rescued motorists was established at Fire Station 78.

The Red Cross has been called to help with accommodations for the stranded motorists.

Tow trucks were working overnight to pull the trapped vehicles out of the mud.

A hard closure has been put in place on Pine Canyon Road for the Lake Hughes area until further notice, the California Highway Patrol stated.