Orange County: Friday's Storm Wrap-Up

Steady rainfall in Orange County today led to power outages, road closures and a swift-water rescue of a homeless man in Placentia.

Southern California Edison reported power outages in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley and Laguna Niguel. One outage in Newport Beach knocked out electricity to 425 customers, and another one affected 1,484 customers, according to Edison spokeswoman Michelle Aguirre.

It was not known how many other Edison customers lost power in Orange County. But across the Southland, 36,000 customers lost power by this afternoon, Edison reported.

A tree fell on a power line in Newport Beach, leading police to block off 15th Street between Tustin and Fullerton avenues, Newport Beach police Sgt. Rachel Johnson said.

In San Juan Capistrano, Caltrans shut down Ortega Highway at Antonio Parkway because of debris and mud slides due to the storm. Only residents and emergency workers are being allowed through.

Orange County urban search and rescue workers helped a 43-year-old homeless man who took a wild half-hour ride along the Carbon Creek channel in Placentia, but escaped injury.

Firefighters search for him for two hours, but the transient ended up finding the rescue workers after he finally got out of the water near the Orange (57) Freeway and Chapman Avenue in Placentia, according to Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.

Heavy showers are expected through Saturday night, according to the National Weather Service, which has issued a flash flood warning.

--City News Service