3 RVs fall into river in Valencia when embankment crumbles and collapses during storm

Eyewitness News captured at least one RV falling straight into the river as the embankment continued to erode.

Leanne Suter Image
Monday, February 27, 2023
RVs fall into river in Valencia when embankment crumbles and collapses
Three motorhomes were swept into the Santa Clara River Saturday when an embankment at a Valencia RV park began crumbling and collapsed.

VALENCIA, Calif. (KABC) -- Three motorhomes were swept into the Santa Clara River Saturday when an embankment at a Valencia RV park began crumbling and collapsed.

It happened at the Valencia Travel Village RV Resort.

Two RVs fell into the river at around 2:30 a.m. Ventura County air crews posted a video on Twitter of an RV on its side as they responded to the scene.

Park officials said at that time, they began moving some of the RVs away from the river to avoid any more damage. A third RV that fell wasn't able to move on time.

Eyewitness News captured at least one RV falling straight into the river as the embankment continued to erode.

The footage shows large chunks of the hillside crumbling into the raging river below.

The RV park lost water and power.

Those staying there told ABC7 they couldn't believe how fast the river managed to wash out the embankment.

"I'm actually traveling from Bakersfield and I can't get to work right now because the snow, [the 5 Freeway] is closed going toward Bakersfield, so I haven't been able to get back and forth to work for a couple of days and also, I'm kind of afraid we're going to have to evacuate if it gets any worse," said Karissa Johnson.

Residents at the park told ABC7 the owner was one of the permanent residents and was unable to leave before the storm hit.

As of Saturday afternoon, the river's rushing waters were still washing out portions of the embankment.

No one was injured during the incident.

Meanwhile, the powerful storm brought in snow that fell at unusually low levels Saturday, as low as 1,000 feet in some areas.

Residents living in La Crescenta saw fresh powder fall for most of the day and it all actually stuck around, which was a sight to see for many.

"It's crazy. I've lived here my whole life and I've never seen something like this," said Nayiri Pilikyai of Glendale. "We drove up here to kind of just check it out."

A blizzard warning -- the first issued in the area since 1989 -- remained in place until 4 p.m. Saturday in the Los Angeles mountains. Snow continued to fall at unusually low levels Saturday, as low as 1,000 feet in some areas.