Baldwin Hills Dam bursts, killing five

Dec. 14, 1963: Caretaker Revere Wells sounded the warning at 11:15 a.m. after hearing water running from a leak in the massive Baldwin Hills Dam. In the next few hours, police began helping neighbors evacuate. But at 3:38 p.m., the dam burst “and 292.4 million gallons of water cascaded down the steep hill and slammed into homes,” The Times reported.

Five people died and nearly 100 homes were damaged or destroyed.

Police said some residents were slow to move and others “underestimated the danger,” The Times said.

“Of those who remained, hundreds were found hours after the wave struck, clinging to safety on rooftops and high elevations.”

One eyewitness told The Times: “Houses broke up like matchsticks and flew through the air when the water hit. The homes disappeared so fast you couldn’t keep count.”