Flash Floods

Disastrous California Flooding
Discovery News, July 12, 1999

One person was killed and five others were left missing when flash-flood waters 25-feet-high swept homes, boulders and cars through the Southern California mountain resort town of Forest Falls on Sunday. Search dogs were sent into the area, located in the San Bernardino National Forest, on Monday to patrol the wreckage for the bodies of the five missing. The floods were triggered by a pounding rain which dumped 1.5 inches of water within 30 minutes into a creek in the resort area. Floodwaters picked up houses and cars, carrying them in a 60 mph rush past terrified vacationers. Four homes were destroyed and 10 others severely damaged. Many of the 3,500 residents of the community were left isolated and unable to drive out of the region due to roads left awash with debris. Several Red Cross evacuation centers were set up in the Forest Falls area and in Redlands.