The California community of Camarillo Springs was one of the worst-affected by the powerful Pacific storms to hit the state on Friday.
A river of mud and rock swept down hillsides stripped bare by a wildfire last year.
Dozens of homes have been damaged and at least ten condemned as unsafe.
Some in the neighbourhood of Azusa feared their homes were in for the same fate.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) ED HEINLEIN, HOME OWNER, SAYING:
"The mud is so much closer this time. Last time it had to build up. Well now it's all been waiting an it's moving very quickly. We've got maybe 50 per cent more material to move in a short period of time. If we continue the rain as it's going we could lose the house in the next couple of hours."
The storm brought flash floods, mudslides and chaos to much of the state.
The highest rainfall was at San Marcos Pass near Santa Barbara where more than 12 centimetres came down.
Thousands have been left without electricity as
