River of mud oozes over Malibu

  Jonathan T. Lovitt ; Jane Schmucker

  02/08/1994

  USA Today

  FINAL

  Page 01A

  (Copyright 1994)

 

  LOS ANGELES - A torrential downpour Monday sent a river of mud pouring

  through multimillion-dollar beachfront homes in Malibu, trapping dozens of

  residents and closing the Pacific Coast Highway.

 

  "You can see a number of houses that have mud coming through the Pacific

  Coast Highway side, going completely through the house and dumping into the

  ocean," sheriff's Sgt. Gary Thornton said.

 

  Adding to the misery: 6-foot waves pounded the beach.

 

  Rescuers using construction equipment went home to home scooping residents

  from roofs and second-floor windows.

 

  More rain is expected today in the area, stripped of vegetation by a firestorm last

  fall.

 

  The Malibu Colony, home to celebrities, was not affected.

 

  "There was this huge bank of mud coming toward me," said Vera Smith, among

  motorists who left cars on a 10-mile stretch of the highway closed by mud up to

  3 feet deep.

 

  Officials said at least 500 residents were unable to return to their homes Monday

  night.

 

  During the morning commute, the rain caused at least 80 crashes on the

  quake-crippled freeway system.

  PHOTO,color,Jonathan Alcorn,Los Angeles Times