Southern Californians Face More Evacuation Orders, This Time for Potential Floods

Evacuation warnings were issued on Feb. 13 for parts of Los Angeles County and three other Southern California counties as heavy rain, life-threatening debris flows and high risk of mudslides are expected to impact the same area ravaged by deadly wildfires in January.

According to Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Los Angeles, the upcoming storm will be the "most significant" so far this winter in Southern California and is expected to bring "very intense rainfall."

As reported by CNN, portions of Los Angeles and Ventura counties have been placed under Level 3 of 4 risk of flooding rainfall on Feb. 13, according to the Weather Prediction Center, while 36 million Californians across the state are under a Level 2 of 4 risk of flooding rainfall. The areas expected to be impacted by the rainfall include San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego and areas in between.

The first of three winter storms set to hit Southern California are due to a hyperactive weather pattern that has brought snow, ice and rain to the U.S. since January, experts said.

According to the National Weather Service, coastal areas and valleys in Southern California will see up to three inches of rain through Feb. 14, while mountainous areas are facing up to six inches of rain. The agency says Los Angeles County will see the worst of its flooding rain in the afternoon and evening of Feb. 13. Evacuation warnings will be in effect until Friday afternoon, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said in a statement.

So far, evacuation warnings are in effect for portions of San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Orange and Los Angeles counties. Authorities urge anyone in the area to prepare to evacuate at a moment's notice.

In case of debris flows, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced on Feb. 11 that more than 7,500 feet of concrete barriers and more than 6,500 sandbags had been deployed to areas impacted by the Palisades Fire in January. Similar protections were established for the area ravaged by the Eaton Fire, according to California's Office of Emergency Services.