A freak storm unleashed chaos in Southern California’s mountains Thursday, sweeping a Jeep packed with passengers hundreds of feet down a riverbed as torrential rain and hail battered the region.
The terrifying ordeal unfolded in Forest Falls after powerful thunderstorms drenched the mountains, turning roads and washes into dangerous torrents of mud and debris.
Fireifghters rushed to the town in San Bernardino County around 4:30 p.m. after a mudslide swept a Jeep Wrangler, with people still inside, hundreds of feet down a riverbed, according to video news service OnScene.TV.
Dramatic footage from the aftermath showed the mud-covered Wrangler stranded among massive boulders along the riverbed.
California Highway Patrol officers also responded and helped rescue the occupants.
The Jeep’s wild ride was only one piece of the weather mayhem unfolding across the San Bernardino County mountains.
Monsoonal moisture fueled intense thunderstorms that dumped torrential rain and hail across the region, triggering flash flood warnings and creating treacherous conditions for motorists.
In Big Bear, drivers were hammered by heavy rain and hail as the storm rolled through.
Mud, rocks and other debris spilled across portions of Highway 18, forcing crews to bring in bulldozers to clear the roadway.
Multiple lightning strikes were also caught on video as the thunderstorms lit up the skies.
Elsewhere, heavy downpours triggered mud and debris flows around Oak Glen and Potato Canyon roads in Yucaipa, prompting road closures, according to Cal Fire San Bernardino.
Oak Glen Steak House is located nearby and also posted dramatic video showing a torrent of muddy water and debris rushing through the area. The restaurant temporarily closed because of the severe thunderstorms and urged people to stay away.
Mountain communities face an especially serious threat from sudden downpours, particularly around wildfire burn scars, where destroyed vegetation can leave hillsides vulnerable to flash floods and debris flows.
Thursday’s weather comes as Southern California communities prepare for the possibility of powerful storms during the approaching El Niño season.
First responders are urging residents in flood-prone and burn-scar areas to prepare early for severe weather.
