A storm that surprised everyone with its intensity and duration brought havoc to the Morongo Basin Friday night and Saturday. Thunder, lightning, rain, and hail started about 10:30 p.m. Friday and by 11:15, first responders started getting calls asking for help. County Fire Battalion Chief Scott Tuttle said firefighters received 13 water-related calls: from motorists who were stranded in flash flooding and mud flows on the highway; residents whose houses were being inundated with water; and concerning washed out roads. One of the first calls for help was at 11:30 p.m. Friday at Hillview and Highway 62 in Joshua Tree for a red Volkswagen Beetle that had become trapped in the mud flow, with mud up to the car’s windows.
A Morongo Basin Ambulance sent out on a water rescue also got stuck. Tuttle said all the occupants from all the stranded vehicles managed to get out safely. Highway 62 was covered with mud and debris up to four to five feet deep near Hallee Road. The California Highway Patrol shut down Highway 62 in Joshua Tree about midnight due to the flash flooding, and the highway remained closed until about 5:15 Saturday evening as Caltrans brought in a skip loader to move the mud off the highway.
Managing editor Tami Roleff says the storm disrupted more than just roads, though…
More than 2300 customers of Southern California Edison were without power Friday night and Saturday due to the storm. And Friday’s storm also interrupted the water supply to some customers of Joshua Basin Water District. The water district was able to restore water service Saturday evening. The water is safe to drink and no special precautions are needed. Friday’s storm also caused major road damage in Joshua Tree National Park. Power and internet services are out in many park buildings and multiple closures are in effect due to severe flood damage. Rangers will be on duty to answer questions, but some visitor services facilities will be closed until power is restored. All dirt roads in the park are closed. In the Cottonwood area, inbound and outbound roads, the visitor center and campground are all closed. Rangers anticipate that the Cottonwood area will be closed for clean-up for several days. The park’s Twitter feed will provide ongoing updates.
The Twentynine Palms High School football team, returning from its victorious game against Desert Mirage High School, spent the night at Denny’s Restaurant before moving to the Yucca Valley High School multi-purpose room for breakfast. County Fire Battalion Chief Scott Tuttle and park rangers remind residents to “turn around, don’t drown.” Don’t attempt to drive through flowing water, as there’s no way to know if the road may have been washed out, or drive through mud and debris flows.
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