“Deputies Save 12 Isolated by Flood”
by Noel Swann
Evening Outlook Staff Writer
Topanga Canyon Epic
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| A Father Carries His Daughter to Safety. Wes Armand, a Paul Revere Junior High School teacher, carried both his children to safety in a Sheriff's Department rescue basket across raging Topanga Canyon Creek Sunday. In this dramatic photo sequence, Armand in top picture is holding his 16-month-old daughter, Thea, between his legs as they near safety. In bottom picture, Armand, still lying in basket, begins to lift smiling Thea into waiting arms. Armand made same trip with son, Kurt, 4, while wife, Marlies, came across alone. Photo by Doug Andrews. |
Sheriff’s deputies Sunday had to sling a cable and stretcher rig across rampaging Topanga Canyon Creek to rescue 12 persons stranded in the Rodeo Grounds area since early Saturday.
They were among some 40 families in the low-lying residential area near the mouth of the canyon who became isolated when a foot bridge across the creek was torn out by a huge tree about 3:30 a.m. Saturday.
Though the normally tranquil creek had swollen to a torrent by Friday night, residents were still able to use the foot bridge and park their cars on the south bank.
But during the continuing downpour that night, a 20-foot section of hillside upstream collapsed into the creek, uprooting the tree that ripped out the bridge.
NARROW ESCAPE
Residents reported a neighbor, Roarke McGonigal, was on the bridge when the tree knocked it out. They said he was plunged into the raging creek but managed to get out unscathed.
Fresh floodwaters Saturday night burst through the south bank of the creek and washed at least three cars downstream across Pacific Coast Highway and into the ocean, about half a mile away.
One of the vehicles, a Volkswagen bus, wound up on the beach, buried in mud up to its windows. Residents said they believe two other cars were washed out to sea.
HORSE BURIED
Meanwhile, in the residential area, mud smashed into several homes causing the occupants to flee to neighbors’ homes on higher ground.
At one point Saturday mud poured into a stall where a number of residents kept their horses.
Mrs. Sara Lane, one of the 12 rescued Sunday, said the mud rose swiftly in the stalls and soon covered one horse up to its shoulders.
She said several persons tried to find a gun to shoot the animal believing it to be doomed.
“But everyone rallied around and began digging furiously,’’ she said. “And soon we’d managed to dig the horse out.’’
Though most of the residents remained in the area Saturday, it is understood several called the Coast Guard for help. And about a half-dozen were lifted from a rooftop by a Coast Guard helicopter.
SHUTTLE RESCUE
By Sunday the creek was even more swollen, and a number of other persons decided to move out.
Sheriff’s deputies slung a cable across the creek and shuttled about a dozen men, women and children across the rushing waters about 1:30 p.m.
They included Mrs. Lane and her husband, character actor Rusty Lane.
Lane, recently recovered from a broken leg, also is suffering from a heart condition.
Among others rescued Sunday were Wes Armand, a teacher at Paul Revere High, his wife, Marlies, and their two children, Kurt, 4, and Thea, 16 months, 3838 S. Topanga Canyon Lane.
DEAN MARTIN’S DAUGHTER
It is also understood Dean Martin’s daughter, Claudia, was among those rescued.
Mrs. Lane, whose daughter, Sara Lane, is a star on the TV series The Virginian, was cheerful as deputies towed her across the creek on the stretcher sling.
“This is better than riding a horse,” she quipped.
She said their home at 3839 S. Topanga Lane and that of a neighbor, R. J. Lindquist, were completely ruined by mud.
“We knew we had to evacuate by about 4 a.m. Saturday, and we went around to neighboring homes to get help,” she said.
WATER, POWER OFF
Water and power had been cut off during the day. When it got dark Saturday night, Mrs. Lane said several residents collected candles, gathered at one house, and ate steak by candlelight.
Jim Hum, 3751 S. Rodeo Grounds, said a rescue helicopter had tried to evacuate residents earlier Sunday. “But the wind coming down the canyon was so strong the chopper couldn't hover,” he said.
Hum was critical of County Flood Control District efforts in the area.
He said the district had built a 40-foot asphalt wall in the creek above the area. But the whole structure crumbled in the torrent of water that swept down from the hills, he said.
FIREMEN CRITICIZED
He also criticized the county Fire Department for leaving debris where its workers had cleared brush along the banks of the creek last summer.
He said brush had been cleared from the section of hillside which crashed into the creek.
“When they cut the brush they just left the stuff lying on the hill." he said. “This then washed down into the creek and clogged it up.”
Hum said one of the houses in the residential area was so deep in mud “the walls were completely buckled in.” He said another had mud “up to the ceiling.”
OTHER CARS WRECKED
In addition to the three cars washed away, he said, about 12 other cars that had been parked on the bank of the creek were wrecked by mud.
Hum estimated the area suffered a minimum of $200,000 to $300,000 damage and said about 10 homes had been ruined.
In addition to those rescued by sheriff’s deputies, many others hiked about two miles over the hills behind the area to get out.
Several others remained to guard the homes and prevent possible looting.
RELIEF CONTRIVANCE
Hum and others strung their own cable and a self-propelled dolly, so that they could take food and supplies to the residents and animals remaining in the area.
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| There's No Roadway Here. Two cars lie in mud almost bumper to bumper where Topanga Creek flood waters deposited them near mouth of canyon at Pacific Coast Highway. Other cars, homes in the area were heavily damaged. Photo by Doug Andrews. |
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| What Flood Waters Left On Beach. This tangled mass of branches and lumber rests on sand at low tide along Topanga Beach road, carried there by flood waters rushing to sea from Topanga Canyon. Coastline was rimmed with such debris in wake of worst flood in 30 years. Photo by Doug Andrews. |
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| Anyone for Surfing? Those are two surfboards half-submerged in mud almost roof-top deep in Old Malibu Road area of Topanga Canyon near Pacific Coast Highway. Photo by Doug Andrews. |
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| Mike Payne, 21, begins to slip under raging Topanga Creek waters as he tries to cross from Rodeo Campground to safety. Mike Gray (in hat) and Roark McGonigle (behind Gray) rush to save him while third man charges into water. Rescuers, including actress Sara Lane, struggle to drag Payne ashore. He is partially visible in dark clothing being held by actress and man with back to camera. Payne, a resident at 3727 Rodeo Grounds Road, is safe on mud bank in this concluding picture of rescue sequence. Miss Lane struggles out of water onto bank while Ingrid Lindquist (left), a friend of Miss Lane's, looks on. Photos by Doug Andrews. |
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| Actor Pulled to Safety. Character actor Rusty Lane, father of actress Sara Lane, is assisted by members of special Sheriff's Rescue Squad after swinging across flooded Topanga Creek near Rodeo Campground in basket suspended from rope. Lane, who suffers heart condition, was among dozens evacuated safely across creek. Photo by Doug Andrews. |
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| Where Actress Lived. Sara Lane, star of Virginian show, stands in mud-filled doorway of her residence in Rodeo Campground in Topanga Canyon holding dog "Sloopy." Miss Lane participated in rescue of man from creek shortly after this picture was taken. Photo by Doug Andrews. |
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| School Teacher, Child Evacuated. Paul Revere Jr. High School teacher Wes Armand, clutching son Kurt, 4, in blanket on his chest, is brought safely across Topanga Creek from Rodeo Campground area in basket beneath rope slung across creek by Sheriff's rescue squad. Armand made two trips in basket, the first to evacuate daughter Thea, 16 months. Pictures of Thea's rescue are on Page 1. Photo by Doug Andrews. |
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| A Bus Goes to Sea. This Volkswagen "bus" was swept to sea at mouth of Topanga Canyon creek during height of flooding Saturday. Here it rests half-submerged in water and sand off Topanga Beach Road. Little Mike Saenz (left), of 18638 W. Topanga Beach Rd., and friend Rick Hodgson of 18702 Pacific Coast Highway, clambered across branches and climbed on top for better look at wrecked vehicle. Photo by Doug Andrews. |
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| Topanga Road Sliced by Water. Receding flood waters Topanga Canyon left road to coast impassable. Mud slide at bend in road in distance felled power lines and workmen can be seen beginning repairs. Scores of roads in area were blocked by rock and mud slides. Photo by G. Robert Smith. |
