The works would include the repair of roads and the cleaning of landslides and debris; the work would involve the Department of Public Works and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
After the storm comes the calm and the time to assess the damage.
According to Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management Director Kevin McGowan, winter storm damage could cost more than $100 million to repair.
The director said that the works would contemplate the repair of roads, cleaning up landslides and debris.
“From a general point of view, there is an immediate response aspect to ensure that life, safety and property preservation measures are taken,” McGowan told the LA Daily News. “Then we do initial estimates of damage and the different groups that are responsible for the infrastructure or other things give that information to the Office of Emergency Management.”
Cleanup efforts in Los Angeles County will primarily involve Public Works, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and private insurance companies.
During the storms, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works fielded nearly 100 calls for debris cleanup, 34 for flooding and nearly 200 traffic-related calls, such as signs down or not working.
In the Chatsworth area a sinkhole opened up into which two vehicles fell.
Since late December, California has been hit by a massive atmospheric river that triggered winter storms that unloaded torrential rains, causing severe flooding, mudslides, and power outages from downed power lines, as well as the deaths of 20 people.
On January 14, President Joe Biden approved an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration, which frees up federal resources to help recover from storm damage. The declaration covered 41 California counties, including Los Angeles County.
According to experts, the recent atmospheric river system was unusually strong and the state has not seen one like it in years.
“This particular series of events in recent weeks was unusual, in terms of the frequency of storm systems and also their intensity,” said Greg Carbin, chief of Forecast Operations for the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. . “2017 was quite active at the beginning of the year. That seems to be the last time we saw anything of a similar nature.”
According to the National Weather Service, Southern California will experience sunny skies and dry weather for at least the next 10 days.