35 buildings in Los Angeles are awaiting safety inspections before people are allowed to return after this week’s record-setting storm, L.A. Fire Department officials said Tuesday.
Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said the LAFD has responded to over 300 mudslides since the storm began. Five buildings have already been red-tagged due to damage and safety concerns, and seven more have been yellow-tagged.
"Even as we may see the rains subside over the next few hours, the water-soaked hillsides will continue to pose a mudslide threat," Crowley said.
This is the second major weather event that Mayor Karen Bass has faced since taking office just over a year ago. She said President Joe Biden called her Monday evening to offer his support.
"The president had said `Look, first of all, I think you guys are undergoing one hell of an operation here. We'll get any help on the way as soon as you guys request it, so just let me know,"' Bass said. “I can assure Angelenos that call will be made today.”
Bass said she also invited Gov. Gavin Newsom to come to L.A. to assist in the recovery effort. Newsom declared a state of emergency Sunday for all of Southern California.
There is one silver lining to the storm: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power General manager Marty Adams said the historic deluge has given the city an opportunity to capture rainwater.
“There's a lot more water coming down, obviously, than [the spreading grounds] can handle,” Adams said. “But I think yesterday they reported they had captured well over a billion gallons of water, which will all be contributing to the groundwater locally and future drinking water supply in Los Angeles.”
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Evacuation orders and warnings are still in place for many parts of Southern California, including areas in Culver City, La Tuna Canyon, and near burn scars in unincorporated L.A. County.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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