Caltrans crews worked to clear a mudslide that came down overnight on Pacific Coast Highway.
It happened north of Big Rock, according to Lauren Walike with Caltrans.
“It covered all the lanes on PCH and then Caltrans crews, and I think we had some contractors out there too, cleared all the lanes,” she told KNX News’ Jon Baird.
Baird also said there was some slide activity at Palisades Dr. and Sunset Blvd.
He added that a Caltrans crew put a k-rail on the side of the road southeast of Big Rock Beach.
It comes a couple of days after CalTrans closed a section of PCH because of concerns about the rain and possible mudslides. The closed section was between Chautauqua Blvd. in Los Angeles and Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu.
Walike said there is no estimated time for reopening that area of PCH.
“We have crews out there making assessments, cleaning up some kind of like miscellaneous rock and small debris, just to make sure that those roads are safe for travel,” she said.
Josh West, a landslide expert at USC, told Baird mudslides and debris could continue to be a problem as residents impacted by the Palisades Fire try to rebuild.
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“As people start to like really clean up and think about rebuilding, this is something that's going to persist,” he said. “And similarly for Caltrans and folks relying on a lot of these, you know, thoroughfares like Topanga Canyon Boulevard and so on, this is something unfortunately that we're going to be looking at for the next couple of years at least.”
As forecasters predict there could be another atmospheric river flowing through next week, L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger told KNX News’ it’s important people don’t let their guards down.
“We put everyone on alert and then nothing happens, and then when we do it again, they say, ‘Well, they did it last time and nothing happened,” Barger said. “It's important for us to recognize that common sense needs to play into this as well. If we're telling you that there's a possibility of mudslides based on the fire scar, take it seriously. Assume the worst, prepare, and hope for the best.”
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