Firemen rescue children from a building after they were trapped by rising floodwaters.
Three men are forced to travel the streets of L.A. with a boat due to floodwaters.
In 1938, Los Angeles experienced one of its most destructive and powerful floods ever. Bridges collapsed, houses were swept away, and countless lives were lost. The streets of Los Angeles were flooded with water, forcing people to travel by boat. The flood lasted from late February to early March, fueled by heavy rains and storms. These heavy rains poured 11 inches of water down on L.A in the span of a day. Even after the rain had stopped, excess water in the mountains continued to flood L.A.. In total, the aftermath led to over 5,500 homes lost, $70 million in damages, thousands left homeless, and over 100 deaths. The flood of 1938 caused the near complete channelization of the Los Angeles River, changing Los Angeles forever.
During the flood, rail lines were washed away by a surge of flood water.