As predicted, mudslides caused by heavy downpours in Los Angeles are causing havoc in the same areas that were devastated by fires last month. And as rain pummeled Malibu yesterday, mud and debris swept a member of the LA Fire Department — along with his SUV — into the ocean.
The LAFD member had been driving around 5:00 p.m. when a mudslide forced him off Malibu's Black Rock Road and down a slick, rocky hill into the water below. A nearby NBC News crew caught dramatic footage of the mud-covered SUV floating on its side as water rushed around it.
After the SUV manages to right itself, the firefighter is able to leave the car and make his way back to safety. (See video below, posted by Bill Feather.)
"Fortunately, the member was able to exit his vehicle and reach safety with minor injuries," said LAFD Capt. Erik Scott, via ABC 7. "He was transported to a local hospital as a precaution."
Previously: Insane mudslide caught on video in Switzerland
