Long Beach prepares for round 2 of dangerous flooding

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Long Beach officials are urging residents to prepare as a powerful storm makes it way to region, one that could bring round two of dangerous flooding to the city on Sunday.

Mayor Rex Richardson and Long Beach Fire Captain Jake Heflin held a press conference Saturday afternoon, alerting the public of its plans and the resources available to residents. Their message was simple: Stay home, stay alert and get ready.

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"If you know that your home is vulnerable and you've seen flooding before, prepare for it now," said Richardson. "Don't get up on the roof because you have a leak during the rain. You should be doing that today."

On Thursday, a storm system that doused Southern California dropped nearly three inches of rain on Long Beach over a six-hour period, which the city says is more than the historical rainfall for the entire month of February.

"We had just under two-and-a-half inches of rain in about 6 to 8 hours," said Heflin. "A significant amount of rain that caused local area flooding in some areas of our city. People were not ready. It's important that you take time now to prepare."

That rainfall caused major flooding on the 710 Freeway near Pacific Coast Highway, causing a temporary closure. Eyewitness News viewers also reported seeing several vehicles stalled along neighborhood streets, some submerged in high water.

The second storm could bring 5 to 6 inches of rain to Long Beach with even stronger conditions, including gusty winds and high surf. The city said residents in historically vulnerable, low-lying areas - like the peninsula and Alamitos Bay - should prepare now.

"We've conducted inspections and performed maintenance to ensure that catch basins in our flood-prone areas are clear of debris, that pump stations and seawall plugs are functioning, ensuring our crews are staffed this weekend and ready to respond if we have blocked storm drains or fallen trees or other storm impacts," said Richardson.

Empty sandbags are still available for Long Beach residents at all LBFD Fire Stations. If you live in Long Beach and need help filling those sandbags, you can visit the Lifeguard Station at 72nd Place between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

"You need to have a plan," said Heflin. "Where is that safe meeting place? Where are we going to go if we need to evacuate? We don't want people to wait for an order to evacuate until they need definitive action to say, 'It's time to take care of our family.'"

A flood watch will remain in effect from Sunday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon for Los Angeles County.