Raging floodwaters sweep away man trying to rescue dog, California video shows
A harrowing video shows firefighters rescue a man swept down a raging Los Angeles-area wash while trying to save a dog as torrential rains pound Southern California.
The video, posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, Feb. 5, shows a Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter lower a rescuer to hoist the man to safety.
The dog, which managed to swim to shore on its own, also was rescued, firefighters reported.
An atmospheric river dumped as much as 11 inches of rain on parts of Southern California, causing flooding and landslides, KABC reported.
Bystanders reported a man jumped into the Pacoima Wash after a dog that had fallen into the rushing water at 2:54 p.m., Los Angeles firefighters said in an alert.
Firefighters rushed to bridges and access points, the alert said, before finding the dog had made its way ashore. A helicopter lowered a rescuer into the water to pull the man to safety.
The man was taken to a hospital, and his dog was temporarily placed in an animal shelter with minor injuries, firefighters said.
“This pup was happy to be alive, and eager to reunite with his human,” firefighters wrote on a Facebook post with photos of the rescued dog.
“Im so glad his dog is ok I would have done the same,” read a comment on the video posted to X.
Pacoima is about 25 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
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