Clean-up begins in Topanga Canyon halfway through historic rainstorm

LOS ANGELES - Clean-up is just beginning in Los Angeles County as a powerful rainstorm continues to hit the region hard.

In Topanga Canyon, Jake Stehelin is cleaning up his home off Happy Trail after it was hit by a giant tree. Several inches of rain caused a tree, on a nearby hill, to slide and fall onto the house.

"It’s just a huge mess," said Stehelin.

According to Stehelin, he just had all the trees near the house inspected.

"The tree itself, the forester said the tree looked healthy," said Stehelin. "Obviously, the ground was not able to hold it."

Even before the giant tree fell, the home’s roof started leaking water late Sunday night. Rene Tabotabo, has been living in the rental property with his family for more than 10 years.

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"There [was] a leak there and a leak there," said Tabotabo. "It was coming out the vent like a faucet."

Tabotabo says he quickly grabbed buckets and bins used for storage to collect rain falling through the ceiling.

"This was all of our storage," said Tabotabo. "I took all my stuff from storage, mementos, kid’s stuff, and throw it in rooms where there weren’t leaks and then put it out."

Several roads nearby have flooded over and look more like rivers.  Up the road, Topanga Canyon Boulevard was closed for much of Monday.

According to Tabotabo, they plan to stay in the home tonight despite the roof leaks caused by the fallen tree.

"[We’re going to] dry everything out and keep my boys from freaking out," said Tabotabo.