1978 – Feb 10-11, storm/flash floods, esp. Hidden Springs, Big Tujunga Canyon/13, CA->20

–>20 National Climatic Center, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 20, No. 2, February 1978, p. 2.
— 11 Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). 1982, p. 187.

–13 Hidden Springs, Big Tujunga Canyon flash flood. Storm Data, V. 20, N. 2, Feb 1978, p. 2.
–13 Hidden Springs, Big Tujunga Canyon flash flood. Vargo. Explore Historic California. Mar 2005.
— 1 Hidden Springs area. Mudslide, Feb 10. Fire Engine foreman responding to call; George R. Scribner.

Narrative Information

NCC, NOAA Storm Data: “Southern California. 10th and 11th. A fierce storm battered California for two days. One of the most destructive to ever strike the area. In Big Tujunga Canyon, a wall of water ripped through a mountain resort community of Hidden Springs. At least 13 people were killed. Widespread flooding, mudslides, and numerous homes were washed away. At least 20 lives were lost and estimated 50 million dollars in damage.” (NCC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 20, No. 2, Feb 1978, p. 2.)
Newspapers

Feb 10: “Los Angeles (AP) – Torrential rains driven by hurricane-force winds sent walls of churning water, mud and debris across a wide area of Southern California today. Five people were known dead and many others were missing. At least two dams and one bridge washed out. Lions escaped from an animal park. And bodies floated out of a rain-saturated cemetery, police said.

“More than 400 people were left homeless as the high winds and about four inces of rain triggered mudslides and flooding, destroyed homes and boats, snarled traffic and downed countless trees and power lines.

“Former president Gerald R. Ford had his golf curse almost literally washed out from under him when a flood-control dam, sending a three-foot wall of water over the Indian Wells Country Club near Palm Springs. The Bob Hope Desert Classic golf tournament, in which Ford was competing, was delayed more than an hour.

“At the Verdugo Hills Cemetery in Tujunga, at least two bodies washed out of old graves as water poured over a dam in Big Tujunga Canyon, authorities said….the old graveyard hadn’t been used in nearly 50 years and some bodies apparently had been buried without coffins.

“At the Little Africa movie animal compound in Canyon Country 35 miles north of Los Angeles, three lions whose cages were washed out sought drier ground. Sheriff’s deputies shot and killed the frightened beasts with rifles after searching for the animals for several hours.

“The National Weather Service said that more heavy rains were due this afternoon….The current storm was the third this week and brought the seasonal rainfall total in downtown Los Angeles to nearly 20 inches, nearly 50 percent greater than the normal of 14 inches for an entire year.” (Associated Press. “Five Dead. South State Storm.” Appeal-Democrat, Marysville-Yuba City, CA, 2-10-1978, p. 1.)

Feb 11: “United Press International. One of the most destructive storms ever to strike Southern California did uncalculated millions of dollars in damage and killed at least eight persons – with 25 more missing and feared dead.

“A 150-prson search party planned to comb mud-choked ravines of the Angeles National Forest today for the 25 missing persons swept away by a torrent that destroyed the mountain resort hamlet of Hidden Springs….

“The storm canceled a nuclear bomb test in the Nevada desert….

“Winds gusting to 65 miles an hour – a 90 mph gust reported at Newport Beach – tore down power lines, blacking out about 100,000 residences.

“The worst flooding occurred north of Los Angeles in the hills and mountains denuded by summer fires and two years of drought….” (UPI. “8 dead in destructive south state storm.” Independent-Journal, San Rafael, CA. 2-11-1978, p. 2.)

Sources

Always Remember. “1978 02/10 CA George Scribner.” Accessed 4-29-2020 at: http://www.wlfalwaysremember.org/incident-lists/845-charles-scribner.html

Associated Press. “Five Dead. South State Storm.” Appeal-Democrat, Marysville-Yuba City, CA, 2-10-1978, p. 1. Accessed 4-29-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/marysville-appeal-democrat-feb-10-1978-p-1/

Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1982.

Vargo, Cecile Page. “The Great Floods of the San Gabriel Mountains, Part III: The Floods of 1938 and Beyond.” Explore Historic California. March 2005. Accessed 4-29-2020 at: http://explorehistoricalif.com/ehc_legacy/floods3.html

National Climatic Center, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 20, No. 2, February 1978. Accessed 4-29-2020 at: https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-844F47B3-029F-4DBC-9CE2-FDABD98D0B6B.pdf

United Press International. “8 dead in destructive south state storm.” Independent-Journal, San Rafael, CA. 2-11-1978, p. 2. Accessed 4-29-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-rafael-independent-journal-feb-11-1978-p-2/