Flash flood leaves muddy mess in Boyle Heights

BOYLE HEIGHTS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Sudden storms swept across parts of the Southland on Monday, which caused flash floods that swamped cars and left behind a muddy mess in a Boyle Heights neighborhood.

Crews cleaned up the mud and debris in the 500 block of Bernal Avenue after the sudden afternoon downpour proved too much for the storm drains to handle.

"It was terrible, all these cars, there was one car stuck in the middle of the street. The water level took tires all the way to the top," said Lety Medina of Boyle Heights. "It was kind of scary, kind of frightening."

Some residents rushed out frantically trying to clear the storm drains, but it was too much water too fast.

"It just kind of happened like real, real quick for a little bit," said Manuel Medina of Boyle Heights. "I was thinking should I move my car across the street? By the time I decided, the water had already come up past the curb and it started coming over here."

At least nine vehicles were trapped in the fast rising water. One driver had to abandon her car in the middle of the street. The vehicle was almost completely submerged. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

The wet weather continued into the night, sending shoppers running for cover in Cerritos and softball players slogging it out on the field. Drivers faced slick conditions on their commute home.

Back on Bernal Avenue in Boyle Heights, residents were tallying the damage. One basement was completely flooded; everything inside was floating in 4 feet of water.

The owners say this isn't the first time there has been problems, especially since they sit at the bottom of the hill. They say it's never been this bad and fear it will only get worse with El Nino.

"I hope they do something about it, maybe add another drain to the middle of the street. Something's got to be done," said Maricela Navarret of Boyle Heights.