Coldwater Canyon Drive closed in Beverly Crest due to downed tree, power lines

BEVERLY CREST, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A portion of Coldwater Canyon Drive was shut down Tuesday morning after a large tree collapsed overnight and blocked the road in the Beverly Crest area.

The tree came down near Eden Drive around 1 a.m. Tuesday, bringing down some power lines with it. Some parked cars in the area were spared.

No injuries were reported, but an estimated reopening was not provided. Crews were expected to respond to clear the road.

By 7 a.m., the road was still closed and created a traffic mess for morning commuters. A line of cars accumulated in the area as they waited for it to reopen.

"It's pretty backed up... There's no sign that's telling you it's closed. Everybody is coming up slowly until you get to this point and you find out that everything is closed," said Frank Ayala. "It's pretty frustrating to get to this point."

Earlier in the morning, some drivers were seen defying the closure and driving past caution tape and the downed tree.

It's unclear what caused the tree to fall over, but recent storms have saturated the soil across Southern California.

Some hard-hit communities are still dealing with the aftermath of that rain. Nearby Mulholland Drive remains closed in the Studio City area after a major mud and debris flow left extensive damage.