Mocobizscene- A section of the 710 Freeway in Long Beach was closed and drivers faced significant delays throughout the city due to major flooding. This was caused by the first of two storms expected to hit Southern California, which brought heavy rainfall to the region.
The southbound lanes of the freeway near Pacific Coast Highway were closed briefly around 10 a.m. due to flooding but have since reopened.
The area buzzed with the sound of cars and trucks, cautiously maneuvering their way through the waterlogged streets. From above, AIR7 HD captured the sight of two brave semi-trucks forging ahead through the flooded underpass, with a line of vehicles trailing behind them. Several vehicles on Sepulveda Boulevard became completely stuck and partially submerged in water near an industrial area on the west side of Long Beach.
A witness recounted the incident to Eyewitness News, saying that it all unfolded in a split second, leaving her with no time to respond. She shared how she pressed on the accelerator, only to feel the tires of her car lose traction as the rushing water took control.
According to the woman, when the water rushes in, there is very little time to react and take action.
Tow trucks were present at the location, ready to retrieve the vehicles from the water.
Eyewitness News recorded workers at Tom’s Restaurant cleaning up rainwater that had seeped inside near PCH and Canal Avenue. Police reported that flooding also affected the area near Del Amo Boulevard and the 710 Freeway.
A video from La Pasada Street and E Anaheim Road was sent to Eyewitness News by a viewer, showing several vehicles stranded along the street. Although the water has now receded, the vehicles had to be towed. Another nearby neighborhood, close to 68th Street, also experienced flooded streets.
Around 8:30 a.m., authorities issued a flash flood warning for a significant portion of the South Bay area. This includes Torrance, Carson, Harbor City, Long Beach, Palos Verdes, and the Port of Los Angeles.
Rainfall in that area is currently occurring at rates between 1 and 1.5 inches per hour, significantly increasing the potential for flooding. The warning for this hazardous condition will remain in effect until approximately 11:15 a.m.
According to the National Weather Service, as the front moves out of the eastern edge of L.A. County by noon, the rain will transition from steady to showers and the rainfall intensity will lessen. Most of the coasts and valleys can expect about 2 inches of rain, while the south slopes south of Point Conception may experience a higher rainfall total of 3 to 5 inches.
According to forecasters, the continuous rainfall is expected to transition into showers on Thursday afternoon. However, there remains a 10-20 percent chance of isolated thunderstorms that have the potential to generate heavy rainfall rates of over 1 inch per hour.
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