River pulls woman away as rescuers try to reach her after sudden storm, CA rescuers say
A woman was swept away in a swift-moving California river after the onset of a sudden storm, rescuers say.
The woman was carried downstream the Los Angeles River in Studio City with waters, which were less than knee-deep, moving at about 15 mph on Sunday, March 24, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a series of alerts.
Officials did not say how the woman ended up in the river.
A video shared by Traffic News Los Angeles on Instagram shows police and fire officials running along the top of the concrete wall beside the river as the woman is slowly carried away.
Rescuers first tried to rescue the 35-year-old woman by throwing her a flotation device, the department said.
When that failed, rescuers said they tried lowering a ladder to the woman.
The video shows the woman clinging to the wall before grasping the ladder, holding tightly, as water rushes around her.
However, she was again swept away, officials said.
On the next rescue attempt, officials said they lowered a rescuer by helicopter to the woman.
The rescuer placed the woman in a harness, and the pair were airlifted from the area, the department said.
The woman was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for minor injuries, rescuers said.
Man clings to concrete wall to survive raging river, dramatic Los Angeles video shows
Woman has baby in riverbed with dad’s help as floodwaters rush in, California cops say
Driver escapes car swept away by river, winds up stranded on island, CA officials say
