Palmdale issues storm and road update [updated: roads reopening]

PALMDALE – The following is an update from the city of Palmdale regarding Thursday’s storm:

• Palmdale Public Works crews worked throughout the city Thursday night and early Friday morning to clear roadways and remove debris.
• The top priority Friday morning was the clearing of Elizabeth Lake Road, as well as surrounding neighborhoods that had significant mud and debris.
• The city has made the Marie Kerr Park Recreation Center, located at 2723 Rancho Vista Blvd., available to the American Red Cross to set up as an emergency shelter. Marie Kerr Recreation Center is on standby and will be open as a shelter if requested.For more information regarding shelters, call 310-445-9900 or visit www.redcross.org.
• Sandbags are available for residents at the city’s Maintenance Yard, located at 39110 3rd Street East [across from Desert Sands Park].
• City staff is currently conducting damage assessment throughout Palmdale. Workers have identified approximately 10 homes that have been damaged by the storm.

LA County Fire assessment

Los Angeles County Fire Personnel have gone to door-to-door in the affected areas and assessed 756 homes during their welfare checks. The occupants have been accounted for and are safe. Members from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Search and Rescue teams are staging to assist.

LA County Public Works assessment

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works is currently working to remove the estimated 300,000 cu/yards of mud and debris that has been deposited throughout the Antelope Valley. Building and Safety inspectors are on scene to inspect damaged buildings for occupancy. To complete a damage assessment survey, visit www.lacounty.gov/elnino and click on the link for “Damage Assessment Survey.”

Workers are using a range of heavy equipment to move the mud and debris from major roadways to allow the road crews to inspect for damage. This is done to ensure the roadway hasn’t been washed away and to allow for safe travel.

Palmdale road closures (as of Oct. 16 at 1:48 p.m.):

• Avenue N, between 10th St. W and Sierra Highway
• Avenue M-8, between 60th St. W and 65th St. W
• Elizabeth Lake Road, from Ranch Center Drive into Leona Valley.

Other road closures (per LASD)

The Department of Public Works, in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol, are enforcing the following road closures.

• 60th Street West at Avenue N
• Bouquet Canyon Road at Mile Marker 16 ½
• Elizabeth Lake Road at Ranch Road
• Elizabeth Lake Road at Goode Hill Road
• Elizabeth Lake Road at 90th Street West
• Elizabeth Lake road at Bouquet Canyon Road
• Elizabeth Lake Road at Lookabout Road
• Elizabeth Lake Road at Lake Hughes Road
• Elizabeth Lake Road at Johnson Road
• Munz Ranch Road at Lancaster Road
• San Francisquito Road at City Highline road

Property damage

Residents with property damage should report the damages to 211 LA County. To do this by phone, dialing 211. To do so online, visit: https://www.211la.org/. Click on the box to report damages for the West Lake Incident.

Reporting emergencies after hours

To report emergencies after hours, residents may call 661-267-5388 after 6 p.m .and before 7 a.m. Monday through Thursday, and all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Weather Updates

The NWS has issued a flash flood warning in effect Friday afternoon and early evening across the mountains of the southwest California and Antelope Valley. For more information, visit http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/. Updates from the National Weather Service are available at www.weather.gov. The city of Palmdale’s information will be updated on the city’s Facebook page [here].

UPDATED 10.19.15: ROADS REOPENING

LA County Public Works has reopened a number of roads in the mountain communities north of Castaic that were hard-hit by an estimated 200,000 cubic yards of mud and debris flow during the Oct. 15 storm.

“A coordinated response by county fire, sheriff and public works departments, and the California Highway Patrol provided limited access to local residents, but the full reopening of the roads comes well ahead of original forecasts,” said Kerjon Lee of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.

The following County roads are now open:

• Elizabeth Lake Road from Godde Hill to Lake Hughes roads;
• Godde Hill Road from the Palmdale city limit to Elizabeth Lake Road;
• San Francisquito Canyon Road from Elizabeth Lake to Dry Gulch roads;
• Bouquet Canyon Road from Elizabeth Lake Road to an area north of Vasquez Canyon Road; and
• Spunky Canyon Road from San Francisquito Canyon to Bouquet Canyon roads.

County crews will continue their efforts to reopen Munz Ranch Road between Elizabeth Lake and Lancaster roads, and Lake Hughes Road from Elizabeth Lake to Dry Gulch roads.

For up-to-date information on road closures, visit dpw.lacounty.gov/roadclosures or follow @LAPublicWorks on Twitter. Information and referral services on post-disaster resources are available to those affected by the floods, debris and mudflow by visiting www.211la.org or visiting the county’s comprehensive storm season website at lacounty.info/elnino.

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Previous related story: Record rainfall Thursday brings flooding, mud

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