Carmel residents prepare for flooding

Neighborhoods around the Carmel River are preparing for potential flooding as Wednesday’s storm starts to roll in.

Those in older homes worry that because the houses were built lower, they’re more prone to flooding.

“I mean our gutters fill up right away and when it rains only a little bit water comes up immediately,” Carmel resident Alexandria Edwards said.

The fire department is trying to help by leaving out sandbags at the Highlands Fire Department, the Pebble Beach Fire Station and near the intersection of Oliver Road and Highway 1.

“Garages or homes that might have the potential to flood they can prevent that by stacking up their sand bags, and basically diverting their water to a lower lying area and storm drains so it flows out to the ocean,” fire captain Keith Tsudama said.

The bags are free to pick up for anyone concerned about flooding. We spoke to a Carmel resident in the Mission Fields area who said she worries about even minor storms coming through.

“The rivers here, the oceans there, if we get a tsunami my house could wash away,” Carmel resident Mary Thompson said.

When it rained last, part of Thompson’s backyard fence got knocked down and if this storm is worse she thinks it could come all the way down.

“I mean look at it, the trees are falling. So you’re just concerned,” Thompson said.