Newsom Declares State Of Emergency In Los Angeles County

LOS ANGELES, CA — Gov. Gavin Newsom Wednesday proclaimed a state of emergency for Los Angeles County where more than 9 inches of rain fell across the region, triggering mudslides, fallen trees and sinkholes.

The declaration which includes 12 other counties, will unlock support in response to the severe winter storms.

In Los Angeles County Wednesday, a sinkhole shut down part of the Hollywood (101) Freeway for hours, and a rockslide closed Malibu Canyon from Piuma Road to Civic Center/Seaver Drive. Additionally, strong gusts knocked down large trees in areas including Northridge, Inglewood, Glendale, Brentwood and Laurel Canyon.

Newsom also activated the State Operations Center to bring state support to county-led emergency response efforts and coordinate mutual aid from neighboring jurisdictions, especially in San Bernardino County. The other counties covered by the proclamation are Amador, Kern, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Sierra, Sonoma and Tulare.

"Cal OES is working with Caltrans and San Bernardino County officials to bring in additional snow plows as well as road crews, and personnel from CAL FIRE and the California National Guard are readied to support operations," the proclamation says. "The state is also contracting with private companies to accelerate snow removal and clear roadways, and is coordinating with investor-owned utilities to rapidly restore power."

City News Service