Ferocious Mudslide Causes Firefighter's Chevy SUV to Plunge Into Ocean | Carscoops

      Authorities were forced to close the Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Monica to Malibu due to heavy rainfall.

      6 hours ago

      by Brad Anderson

      Fortunately, the driver of the white SUV managed to escape without serious injuries.

      The Malibu region experienced nearly 6.5 inches of rain, leading to road and school closures.

      LAFD Captain Erik Scott reported that the driver was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation.

      Shortly after severe wildfires ravaged much of Los Angeles, the city was hit with intense rainstorms that caused a sudden mudslide along the Pacific Coast Highway over the weekend. This mudslide swept away a vehicle belonging to the Los Angeles Fire Department, pushing it off the road near Malibu and into the Pacific Ocean.

      Dramatic footage from the scene showed the aftermath of the incident, with a white Chevrolet in the surf after it tumbled down a steep dirt embankment beside the road. The fire department official was driving when his vehicle was impacted. Fortunately, he managed to free himself from the damaged SUV, although he sustained some minor abrasions from the deployed airbags.

      Watch: Firefighters Use Bulldozers to Clear Abandoned Vehicles in Palisades Fire

      As reported by AOL, the area received nearly 6.5 inches of rain. This rainfall affected a hillside adjacent to the highway that had been scorched in January’s destructive fires, with the slope's shape acting as a funnel, as noted by LAFD Captain Erik Scott, directing a strong flow of water and mud across the roadway.

      NBC obtained dashcam footage from another patrol car that captured the moment a rush of water struck the side of the Chevy, pushing it over the edge and towards the ocean. The Chevy was enveloped in a thick layer of muddy water as it fell, but fortunately, it did not appear to have rolled. Local news crews recorded the moment the driver managed to escape as the rushing water continued around him. He was later transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.

      Local authorities have advised drivers to stay away from areas affected by the mudslides, and schools in Malibu were closed on Thursday and Friday.