Rain Wreaks Havoc: Crashes; Mud Flows; Highway Bridge Collapse

Unseasonable rains and thunderstorms from the remnants of Hurricane Dolores continued to wreak havoc on Southland roadways today.

The California Highway Patrol reported that there were 63 crashes between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Los Angeles area freeways and roads patrolled by the agency.

That compares to 41 collisions during the same hours last Sunday, when the weather was dry, according to the CHP.

Mud and debris flows shut down Silverado Canyon Road. Fire and public works crews using heavy equipment began working about 5:30 p.m. to clear the roadway, which was closed at county Fire Station 14 at 29402 Silverado Canyon Road, Capt. Steve Concialdi of the Orange County Fire Authority said.

A soft closure barring all but residents was in effect at Silverado Canyon and Santiago Canyon roads, he said.

And a 30-foot section of a bridge above Interstate 10 collapsed in Desert Center east of Palm Springs today, trapping a truck driver and causing the shutdown of the freeway in both directions as heavy rains caused flooding in the area, authorities said. The driver suffered moderate injuries.

--City News Service; Image via Shutterstock