Thousands homeless

Press, 6 March 1978, Page 6

Thousands homeless

NZPA Los Angeles Thousands of residents have fled their homes in storm-battered areas of Southern California and Northern Mexico and floods and mudslides have killed at least two people in Los Angeles suburbs. Mudslides sent a hospital parking lot tumbling into a central Los Angeles freeway, but the police said no cars were trapped and nobody was injured. Other freewavs were blocked by mud. too. In Ensenada. Mexico, 20.000 people have been left homeless by floods. The Mayor (Mr Luis Gonzalez Ruiz) said that President Jod Portillo had declared the city, which is 130 kilometres south of the California border, a disaster area.

S’ In Los Angeles, mud col-i lapsed the back of a sub- ■ s urban Woodland Hills home,' i trapping a maid and a child f inside. The maid was killed; d but the child was rescued by; » a youth who lived nearby,; t said a fire department' s spokesman. He said three other homes' Lin the suburb slid down a[ i hillside. Twenty-five homes ! . in Topanga Canyon were’ L reported flooded. s: Another resident was. ; killed in the exclusive Bell Air section of Los Angeles. ( ,- Portions of at least two' t freeways in metropolitan: •; Los Angeles have been; i i closed, as have many cityi j streets. Several dams in the! , | foothills area north of the | ijcity are near capacity and! i flood control spokesmen are; concerned that any more

■ i rains might pose severe ( i problems. National Guard troops and; iihelicopters were called out to; I; help rescue flood-strandedl ■ | residents in areas ! ,(of Ventura county, north of’ i Los Angeles. ! “There are people sitting! ;! on roof-tops. We’re using ! helicopters where we can. but Jit’s a dangerous operation.” i said Sheriff Lou McCombes. Heavy surf battered beach- . front homes in the wealthy I Malibu Colonv and along !beaches south to Santa * Monica where thousands ! were isolated when mud- ■ slides closed the Pacific Coast ; Highway. ’! A lull in the storm came ! i yesterday afternoon, and the J forecast was for decreasing 1 showers today.