Mud, debris flow closes Mulholland Drive in Beverly Crest

A mud and debris flow prompted the evacuation of a hilltop home in the Beverly Crest area Tuesday and an order by the city to close Mulholland Drive to through traffic for at least 24 hours as a precaution.

The problem was reported at about 8:35 a.m. in the 13100 block of West Mulholland Drive, according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

No injuries or physical entrapments were reported.

Humphrey said one of several terraced retaining walls on a one-third-acre residential property gave way, causing mud to “cascade downhill” onto Mulholland Drive.

“As the damaged retaining wall was 50 feet downhill from the residence, the home was not directly damaged,” Humphrey said. “As a precaution, an elder male resident and his caretaker have been calmly evacuated from the premises, and are temporarily staying with a neighbor.”

The area has seen strong rainstorm activity in the past few days, but Humphrey said the fire department could not determine the specific cause of the debris flow.

“Because the debris flow is threatening a power pole and mud remains on Mulholland Drive, that mountain top thoroughfare will remain fully closed between Coldwater Canyon Avenue on the east and Deep Canyon Drive on the west until L.A. City agencies can comprehensively assess and address the situation,” officials said late Tuesday morning.

Early Tuesday afternoon, the city of Los Angeles’ Emergency Management Department announced that the section of Mulholland was being ordered closed to through traffic “for 24 hours — minimum — until rains cease.”