OFFICIALS GIVEN BIRDS-EYE VIEW OF DESTRUCTION; CHICK NOTES CONSEQUENCES OF SLICING HILLS FOR HOME SITES.

Byline: Brooke Olson Daily News Staff Writer

Hovering in a helicopter Thursday over collapsed homes, tarp-covered hillsides and washed-out roads, City Councilwoman Laura Chick and Fire Chief William Bamattre got a firsthand look at El Nino's damage in the San Fernando Valley.

City firefighters led Chick on an hourlong ride, flying over the hardest-hit areas and surveying places where firefighters have conducted this year's most dramatic rescues.

``Considering the amount of rain we've had, the Valley has done quite well,'' Chick said. ``It looks like we can handle the next set of rainstorms.''

Bamattre agreed, noting that El Nino preparations had reduced many dangers.

``People have maintained their property well and kept their storm drains clean,'' Bamattre said. ``The people were listening and they knew what was coming.''

But for buildings that were constructed with shoddy materials or were built on loose soil, there was little hope for surviving the storms.

On Monday, a roof on a 30,000-square-foot office building in Warner Center partially collapsed after rainwater collected on top of the building.

``The contractors used this inexpensive, lightweight roofing and it just couldn't hold up under the rain,'' said Capt. Stephen J. Ruda of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Hillside homes from the West Hills to the Hollywood area suffered under the sagging weight of mud slides, as rescue workers sandbagged and tarped the affected areas.

``L.A. is famous for slicing off hillsides and putting homes up . . . and we're just now seeing the effects,'' Chick said.

Chick's tour came as President Clinton was declaring Los Angeles a disaster area, making it eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency funds.

Residents whose homes or businesses have been damaged by El Nino can apply for housing assistance, small business loans and other types of money.

Federal disaster officials have said the government will spend an estimated $250 million in California because of El Nino-related storms and flooding.

``We are urging people to call right away,'' said Patti Roberts, FEMA spokeswoman. ``That way we can get an inspector out there to assess the damage and, if they're eligible, they can get federal assistance within seven to 10 days.''

Storm victims may access federal disaster assistance by calling FEMA at [phone]. The TTY number is [phone].

City property damage and costs are estimated to be in excess of $6 million, while private property damage is put at $3.2 million, according to the Mayor's Office.

More effects are likely to be felt as the next rainstorm - set to hit Monday - pummels the oversaturated ground.

``The ground is definitely full of water and we're worried about what's happening below,'' Bamattre said, adding that residents should use this break in the storm to clean out rain gutters, fill up sandbags and attend to other preventive tasks.

``We're not out of it yet, but we've been lucky in having these rains come in series,'' he said.

Even with more rain on the way, the Southland is busy getting back on track.

Metrolink will resume full service on the Ventura County line between Oxnard and Los Angeles beginning today, officials said. Service resumed earlier this week to Lancaster and Santa Clarita.

In Topanga Canyon, drivers can expect delays on an eight-mile stretch of Topanga Canyon Boulevard between Woodland Crest Drive and Old Topanga Canyon Road from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day as Caltrans crews do storm repair work, officials said. Nearby, Malibu Canyon Road was reopened Thursday.

As everything dries out, firefighters concerns will turn from river rescues to brush fires, as the green hillsides are transformed into dry, highly flammable thickets.

And with cutbacks in the Fire Department's budget, Bamattre said he is worried that clearing the brush could pose a challenge.

`F`Our aim is to direct the fire where we can control it because controlling is more effective than just trying to put it out,'' he added.

Chick said she would address the fire budget at the City Council's Public Safety Committee.

``We need preventive measures,'' Chick said.

Flying over the Tujunga Wash, which had slowed to a mere creek Thursday after several weeks of a raging river, Chick noted a sense of irony in Mother Nature.

``I can't believe how calm everything is and what a beautiful day it is,'' she said. ``That's one thing about L.A. - we bounce back fast.''

Daily News Staff Writer Lisa Van Proyen and City News Service contributed to this story.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos

PHOTO (1 -- 2) Scenes of destruction, like Malden and Napa streets in West Hills and a washed-out bridge site in Chatsworth where a man was killed, awaited city officials touring by helicopter Thursday.

(3) Councilwoman Laura Chick and city Fire Chief William Bamattre survey El Nino damage over the San Fernando Valley.

David Crane/Daily News