Dangerous flooding in San Diego put residents out of their homes and in need of support. In mid-January, heavy storms brought unprecedented rainfall to the dry Southern California city. FEMA declared the flooding event a Major Disaster and has been working with the County to get residents what they need to recover.
HCRN made a trip to San Diego to assess the situation and lend our expertise to local organizations. More than 800 homes were affected in the January storm which displaced families and damaged their homes. Volunteers have been out helping with clean-up efforts, while many of the displaced are in hotels temporarily. Non-profit organizations are leading the charge to see disaster survivors get home, while FEMA and CalOES are getting the community registered for FEMA benefits.
We were invited to see one of the distribution warehouses, which is providing much needed support to families struggling after the flooding.
HCRN visited affected homes including this woman who has been in her home for over 20 years.
She told us her daughter had been on the patio, when she came running in the house. There was so much water, she thought a water main had broken. Her yard flooded quickly and they escaped down the street before they were caught up in the flood waters. They came back to find that nearly three feet of water had poured into the house.
Her home is old enough that any work will require an upgrade to her electrical system. Additionally, her furnace and water heater must be replaced. Drywall, flooring, cabinets and the list of needs goes on. This story is not uncommon and these flood survivors will need as much help as can be spared!
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