Mudslides shut down portions of California's Pacific Coast Highway after heavy rainfall

Southern California was hit with heavy rainfall Tuesday, causing mudslides in Malibu that have shut down portions of the Pacific Coast Highway.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said on X, formerly Twitter, Wednesday morning that all lanes of the highway are closed just west of Corral Canyon due to mudslides.

"No ETA at this time, avoid the area, use alternate route," the LASD posted on X.

Los Angeles County Public Works also said on social media that Malibu Canyon Road from Piuma Road to Pacific Coast Highway is also closed and advised drivers to adhere to road closure signs.

The California Department of Transportation said on X the Pacific Coast Highway is closed in both directions between Corral Canyon Road and Latigo Canyon Road due to a mudslide.

Nearly all of the state's coastal areas were under flood watches through Wednesday morning. The rain comes two weeks after a massive storm brought widespread flooding throughout Southern California.

Forecasters said this week's precipitation will move through more quickly and won't produce as much damage as the last atmospheric river that killed several people. The atmospheric river causing the precipitation is expected to lose intensity with time, the National Weather Service said. Additional rounds of light to moderate rain were forecast for Wednesday.

Coastal flooding advisories were in effect in all coastal areas, the weather service said, and certain areas along waterways in Santa Barbara County were under evacuation warnings through Wednesday morning.

Contributing: Anthony Robledo, Jeanine Santucci & Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY