Publication Date February 20, 2017 | Mashable

Crazy storm has streets of L.A. swallowing cars whole

Los Angeles
A bicyclist in Sun Valley rides along a flooded street as powerful atmospheric river storms move across California. Photo: David McNew, Getty Images
A bicyclist in Sun Valley rides along a flooded street as powerful atmospheric river storms move across California. Photo: David McNew, Getty Images

Californians this weekend captured harrowing scenes of cars stuck in sinkholes, trucks toppling off a crumbling highway and muddy waters rushing through the streets of Los Angeles. 

The Golden State is grappling with yet another punishing wave of atmospheric river storms, which dump vast amounts of rain in narrow corridors over a short period of time. 

Drought-busting storms slammed Southern California cities on Friday and Saturday, killing at least two people and knocking out power for tens of thousands of residents. 

Dangerous and "excessive rainfall" is expected to target Northern California next, putting even more pressure on water infrastructure like the Oroville Dam.

In the Los Angeles neighborhood of Studio City, torrential rains pummeled the roads on Friday night, causing a 20-foot sinkhole to open on Laurel Canyon Boulevard. 

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In San Bernardino, a landslide the size of three football fields brought snow, rock, soil and timber tumbling down the side of a mountain. 

The landslide is now controlled, although firefighters said they are worried about additional damage from the ongoing storms.

On Saturday, stormwaters began inundating roadways across Northern California.