PHOTOS: Massive U.S. mudslide causes highway disaster

Saturday, October 17, 2015, 11:51 AM - Hundreds of cars were stuck in the mud after an aggressive storm unleashed flash floods and a mudslide hurling through Interstate 5 and Route 58 in southern California.

The flash floods flooded roads on Thursday, which triggered the mudslides, later resulting in the closure of a portion of Interstate 5 in the Tehachapi Mountains, CNN reports.

I-5 reopened on Friday after hours of extensive clean-up efforts from the California Transportation Agency, but officials say it will take a few more days to reopen route 58.

Rescue teams worked tirelessly to remove hundreds of drivers and passengers from Route 58 Thursday – many of whom were stuck in the dark for up to 10 hours, the CBC reports.

Residents were taken to shelters following the rescue. First responders used ladders and tarps to cross the two-metre deep layer of mud.

The storms and mudslide also wiped through two small mountainside communities, damaging at least a dozen homes, reports say.

Between 4 to 6 inches of rain fell in parts of Kern and Los Angeles counties, a rarity for the areas, CNN reports.

SOURCES: CBC | CNN |