SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. — Intense rainfall triggered a mudflow at a hillside residential construction site in Sherman Oaks on Thursday, reigniting concerns among neighbors about mudslides as another storm system approaches Southern California.
The incident occurred along the 3900 block of Pacheco Drive near Cody Road, where video captured thick mud and debris surging down a steep slope and filling the area alongside a home below. Residents say the hillside has a long history of instability, particularly during periods of sustained rainfall.
“This is an area that’s familiar with mudslides,” said longtime resident Dan Silverberg, who has lived on the narrow street for more than 20 years.
Silverberg said the situation escalated quickly early Thursday morning. Around 7 a.m., he heard the sound of wood cracking before mud and water spilled across the roadway. He said a neighboring homeowner narrowly avoided being trapped when the runoff surged toward the front of the house.
“I found my neighbor. He was out here and apparently made quite an escape,” Silverberg told KTLA 5’s Rick Chambers.
No injuries were reported, and officials said the home did not sustain structural damage. Neighbors credited a recently completed retaining wall with slowing the flow of mud, though it ultimately proved insufficient once debris accumulated behind it.
“The contractor had completed that wall about six or seven weeks ago, and that really kind of helped,” Silverberg said. “But once it filled up behind that wall, it just poured right over.”
Residents later told KTLA’s Jennifer McGraw that recent hillside construction left large areas of exposed dirt, increasing the likelihood of runoff during heavy rain. At the same time, they acknowledged that mudslides have occurred in the area even when no construction was underway.
Scars from previous slides remain visible on nearby slopes, adding to fears that additional rain forecast for later this week and into the weekend could trigger further movement.
Across Southern California, emergency officials are urging residents living in hillside neighborhoods and burn-scar zones to remain vigilant. Saturated soil combined with limited vegetation can significantly increase the risk of mudslides and debris flows.
Residents with concerns ahead of incoming storms are encouraged to contact their local fire departments, which often provide sandbags and other preparedness resources to help mitigate runoff and flooding risks.
Originally reported by Lily Dallow in KTLA.
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