The main highway from Los Angeles to Phoenix was affected by a flash flood, which washed away part of the highway that cuts through the southern California desert.
The latest round of flooding began Wednesday night, damaging a bypass road for a repair project along eastbound Interstate 10 near the small community of Desert Center, regarding 165 miles to the east. of the Angels.
Traffic was stopped in both directions at the onset of the flooding, but the westbound lanes from Arizona to California reopened shortly therefollowing.
All eastbound traffic was diverted until the California Department of Transportation was able to reopen a lane of the freeway that was undergoing repairs.
Authorities asked people, who were heading from southern California, to use Interstate 8 or 40, which are the main detours.
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Photos from the California Highway Service showed water pouring through a deep gouge in the highway’s pavement. The flooding also affected other highways in the region, such as State Routes 177, 78 and 62.
A flash flood in the same area in July 2015 washed away a bridge on the east side of I-10 and eroded the soil under the westbound structure.
The National Weather Service said more flooding was possible through Thursday, across a wide swath of southern California’s mountains and deserts.
Flash flooding this summer severely damaged roads in Death Valley National Park, Mojave National Preserve, and the southern portion of Joshua Tree National Park.
Authorities called the Aug. 5 deluge in Death Valley historic. Hundreds of visitors were initially stranded by floodwaters and debris-covered roads. It took regarding two weeks for the park to reopen its most popular areas.
