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Storm Closes Key Section Of Highway 101 On South Coast

(Ventura County Fire Department Photo)
Northbound 101 is closed between Ventura and Carpinteria near La Conchita by flooding

A key section of Highway 101 on the South Coast is closed by storm flooding, stranding thousands of motorists.

Northbound lanes of the 101 between Ventura and Carpinteria, near La Conchita were closed at around 2 p.m.  CHP officers say there's two to three feet of water and mud on the highway.

Northbound traffic is being stopped at Seacliff, and turned around back to Ventura.  With other mountain roads like Highway 150 treacherous because of the heavy rainfall, there are no practical alternatives at this point for northbound traffic.

So far, southbound traffic is still being allowed through the area.  Caltrans has crews on the scene working on cleanup efforts.

Earlier in the day, Highway 154 was closed between Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley due to downed trees.

Rainfall amounts of two to three inches have been reported as of two p.m. in many South Coast communities, with a few mountain areas topping six to seven inches.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.