Rescuers search for person missing in Los Angeles mountain area mudslides as thousands evacuate

Heavy rains are remnants of tropical storm that brought badly needed rainfall to drought-stricken southern California last week

Rescuers searched for a person missing in a mudslide Tuesday after flash floods swept dirt, rocks and trees down fire-scarred slopes, washed away cars and buried buildings in small mountain communities in southern California.

With thunderstorms forecast and more mudslides possible into Wednesday, evacuation orders remained in place in parts of the San Bernardino Mountains while a wildfire raging 500 miles (805 km) to the north forced residents to abandon their homes.