395 Closed by Mudslide Near Coso Junction

[pc2mac]

If you are heading up, you may want to check on the road conditions with Cal Trans.


http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi

From the Mammothtimes online:


A mudslide in southern Inyo County closed U.S. 395 Thursday afternoon, tipping over one unoccupied tractor-trailer and trapping several cars and trucks in the muck.
The mudslide occurred after torrential rains caused flash flooding near Dunmovin – an unincorporated community three miles north of Coso Junction and 13.5 miles south of Olancha, at an elevation of 3,507 feet.
A California Highway Patrol spokesman said no injuries were reported by mid-afternoon Thursday. The slide occurred around 2:46 p.m.
When officers arrived, they found several big rigs stuck in the mud, and cars backed up in both lanes.
“One of the rigs had mud up to the bottom of his trailer,” the spokesman said.
It was not known how long it would take for Caltrans crews to clear the mess.
In the meantime, CHP officers turned northbound traffic around at Coso Junction, and they turned southbound traffic back at Little Lake.

[IncredibleHuck]

Pete here is the video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oOEW...layer_embedded

[pc2mac]

That is wild! Looks like is swallows up the semi!

[Sierra_Smitty]

Holy Crap!!! That is crazy!!!!

Just an FYI - one lane in each direction was opened up about 11pm last night. Serious delay for most of my incoming guests last night.

[teejay]

Wow, I drove through Coso Wens. evening. My original plans would have placed me there on 395 either during or shortly after the flood. I dont think my compact car would have fared to well.
Glad to hear that nobody was hurt.

[pc2mac]

Don't see any more alerts on CHP's alert site. There was one earlier this morning that mentioned that the northbound lanes were cleared so it is probably all clear now...

[flytyingreloader]

I was out of town during this time, but Marie was speaking with me each evening and described some pretty DOGMATIC downpours in Ridgecrest about this same time. That's the desert, though--90% of a year's rainfall in 30 minutes.

[Travtime]

We went through the flash flood right before it closed the road, pretty wild. What was more amazing though was just as we were going into the downpour a 4 seat helicopter out of Mammoth flew right over our head, right down the highway at about 200 feet aga!, the down drafts from the micro burst were amazing I cant believe he got through it!!