The death rate in the region is double what it was before the pandemic, leading to a big backlog at hospitals, funeral homes and crematoriums, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
[Ads /]
The AQMD is temporarily lifting environmental restrictions on cremations to help deal with the backlog of bodies waiting to be removed and cremated.
The 10-day exemption was granted following requests from the Los Angeles County Medical-Examiner Coroner and the county Department of Public Health.
RELATED: Los Angeles County passes 1 million coronavirus cases
"The current rate of death is more than double that of pre-pandemic years, leading to hospitals, funeral homes, and crematoriums exceeding capacity without the ability to process the backlog of cases," the AQMD said.
[Ads /]
Los Angeles County has reported 13,848 deaths since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, including an additional 108 deaths reported on Sunday. The county has reported more than 1 million cases overall.
Funeral homes and cemeteries report having to turn families away because of how many funerals they are conducting.
Even Rose Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary in Whittier - the nation's largest cemetery - says it has trouble handling the demand.
The 2,500-acre cemetery has seen its daily call volume double and the burial process is now taking at least a month, when normally it would be 5-7 days. Some families report waiting for hours simply to reach someone at the cemetery.