Los Angeles County flood of 2005 facts for kids
| Date | January 2005 |
|---|---|
| Location | Los Angeles, Glendale, Malibu, Topanga Canyon |
| Deaths | 17 |
| Property damage | $300 million |
The Los Angeles County flood of 2005 was a very big flood that happened in Los Angeles County in January 2005. It was the first major flood there since 1938. Heavy rains caused the Los Angeles River and other rivers like the Ventura, Santa Ynez, and Santa Clara Rivers to overflow.
This flood affected many places. These included areas near the Los Angeles River. It also reached from Santa Barbara County in the north to Orange and San Diego Counties in the south. Riverside and San Bernardino Counties to the east were also hit.
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Understanding the 2005 Flood
This section explains how much rain fell and what happened because of it.
Record Rainfall in Los Angeles
The 2004-2005 rain season brought a lot of rain to downtown Los Angeles. Over 37 inches (940 mm) of rain was recorded. This was the most rain seen in a year since 1884.
The mountains nearby, like the San Gabriel Mountains and San Bernardino Mountains, also got a lot of snow. From December 27, 2004, to January 10, 2005, downtown Los Angeles received 16.97 inches (431 mm) of rain. This was the wettest 15-day period ever recorded.
Impact and Damages from the Flood
The heavy rainfall caused many problems. Sadly, 17 people died because of the rain and floods. Hundreds of people had to leave their homes due to the rising water.
The worst event was a mudslide in La Conchita, which is in Ventura County. This mudslide destroyed 15 homes and killed 10 people.
Government Help for Flood Recovery
The U.S. President, George W. Bush, announced a "state of emergency" for Southern California. This meant that the government would send special help and money to the area. This help was needed to recover from the flood damages. The total cost of the damages was estimated to be $300 million or even more.
The Flood in Popular Culture
The 2005 Los Angeles County flood has been shown on television. It appeared in the first episode of a TV show called Full Force Nature on The Weather Channel. That episode was titled "California Flooded River."
The flood was also featured in the seventh episode of the 2006 version of World's Most Amazing Videos. This show was on Spike TV.
