An empty Japanese fishing vessel discovered March 20 drifting off the coast of western Canada has prompted officials to reexamine the mass of tsunami debris heading toward North America. The ghost ship was spotted just after the one-year anniversary of Japan's devastating 75-foot tsunami in March 11, 2011. It is now believed that pieces of the wreckage will arrive sooner than expected, and it remains unclear whether or not SoCal beaches will be in its path.
Japanese Ghost Ship Spotted Off B.C. Coast Makes Us Wonder: Could L.A. Beaches Soon Be Hit By Tsunami Debris?
Heal the Bay Answers Your Questions About Tsunami Debris From Japan Washing Ashore
We're coming up on the one-year anniversary of the tsunami in Japan this Sunday. In anticipation of the anniversary, Heal the Bay says it has been fielding a lot of questions about what has happened to the estimated 20-25 million tons of debris that flooded into the ocean that day.
Tsunami Souvenirs Could Land on Our Beaches Within a Year
An oceanographer who collects flotsam on Washington's Pacific Coast predicts that flotsam and debris from last month's tsunami in Japan could be hitting our shores within a year.
"If you put a major city through a trash grinder and sprinkle it on the water, that's what you're dealing with," Curt Ebbesmeyer, a retired oceanographer and Seattle-based consultant for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration explained.
Stormwatch 2010: The Latest on Our Rain Storms
We're on Day Three of a long, wet, hazardous system of rainstorms in Southern California, and though it may be drizzling right now, the forecast is calling for even heavier rains--the heaviest yet since the storms began late Friday night--to move in later today. There is a chance of mudslides and floods in the recent burn areas, a portion of PCH is closed, and there's been record rainfalls. Here's some basic info about the wet weather:
Heavy Rains Trigger Mudslides in Burn Areas, Residents on Alert
Heavy rain overnight and into this morning has wrecked havoc on the burned and now over-burdened hillsides in areas affected by last summer's Station Fire. At least 7 homes have been reported destroyed in the Pickens Canyon area of La Crescenta [map] after a catch basin was overrun with debris flow, as well as damage to vehicles along Ocean View Boulevard, according to LA Now and KTLA.
Small Landslide in Hollywood Hills Makes for Morning Mess
It was either a sprinkler system or a broken water line on private property in the Whitley Heights Outpost Estates section of the Hollywood Hills that created a small landslide early this morning, according to abc7.
Winds, Falling Rocks Keeping Part of Angeles Crest Hwy Closed*
Weekend winds brought rocks and debris down the mountainsides up on Angeles Crest, which meant that this morning motorists eager to resume their commute on portions of the Highway that have been closed since late-August have to wait until the danger has passed, according to LA Now.
Foothill Communities Burned by Station Fire Prep for Mudslides
The aftermath of the Station Fire means picking up the pieces for those who live in communities tucked into the foothills, like La Cañada-Flintridge and La Crescenta. What lies ahead, however, is the one-two punch of Mother Nature, as heavy rains will likely trigger mudslides and debris flow down the slopes of the recently-scorched hillsides.
Rain on its Way, but Hopefully not Mudslides
Over the next few days, we could be seeing total of 5 inches of rain making for a more cozy Thanksgiving feeling, but a stressful one for people in recent burn areas. "Although a storm of this magnitude this time of year would not by itself pose a risk for life threatening flooding, areas that have been denuded from recent burns are at an increased risk for flash floods and debris flows," the National Weather Service is warning.
Coldwater Cyn. Flooded, Van Halen's House Damaged*
It always seems that Coldwater Canyon Blvd. is flooded. Early this morning, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported an 8 inch broken main causing "severe" flooding between Ventura Blvd. and Mulholland Dr., shutting down the canyon traffic corridor. Muholland Dr. is also closed down between Coldwater Cyn. and Benedict Cyn. due to mud and debris. Then at 6:45 a.m., the most unusual and seemingly non sequitar update from the fire department came in:The flooding...
A Cajun 3-way in Hermosa: Cafe Boogaloo
Cafe Boogaloo arrived on the scene in Hermosa Beach in 1995, around the same time I moved back to my hometown. It was the perfect place to meet up with old friends or to have a drink with first dates. The decor is upscale down-home and filled with one-of-a-kind folk art, somewhat similar to the House of Blues. Dim lighting, large westerly facing windows and lazily rotating ceiling fans keep the interior cool on...

