Santa Cruz County residents clean up after storm

“Sounded our siren and then let everybody in the park know they were on alert and then started our crew going around knocking door to door,” said Dick Lovelace with the Paradise Park Emergency Response Team.

The Paradise Park community in Santa Cruz spent the day cleaning out their homes and clearing muddy roads after heavy rain caused the San Lorenzo River to rise more than 18 feet and run into their neighborhood.

“Some of the places are going to have to replace dry wall, carpeting and furniture,” said Lovelace. “In here we all believe that the river wouldn’t rise quite as fast if a lot of the debris that’s piled up over the few years was removed.”

Intense rains quickly filled up creek beds above the flood stage in Soquel and Corralitos as well.

“We do want people to be aware that although we may not get as much rain today, we could see similar flooding impacts because the ground is now saturated, so there’s nowhere for that water to go but in the creeks,” said Jason Hoppin, Santa Cruz communications manager.

Severe weather also brought down wires and trees.

The Steele family woke up to a massive tree trunk in their yard.

“It’s kind of cool to have that moment of everyone standing outside your house looking at the big huge tree,” said Kaden Steele.

One of the onlookers was Karen Kline.

“I just drove an hour out here to get to my home, to get to my beach house, and now I can’t get to it,” said Kline.

The tree blocked the only access to a private bridge leading to her home.

“I hope they come move it, but it looks like a major deal,” said Kline. “I don’t think they can fix it and it’s a Sunday.”

But not everyone suffered.

Some came out to collect driftwood washed up by the force of the storms.

“Yea people make arts and crafts and that kind of stuff or furniture even,” said Felix Alfaro of Watsonville. “Yeah, treasures, it’s fun.”

Red Cross told KION they are setting up evacuation centers at the Zayante Fire Station and the Jade Street Community Center for flood victims.

ORIGINAL STORY: The Paradise Park community is cleaning up after heavy rains caused the San Lorenzo River to flow into their homes late Saturday night.

Some of them will have to replace wet furniture and others are sweeping debris from the streets.

The river peaked past 18 feet which is above the flood stage according to Santa Cruz communications manager Jason Hoppin.

KION’s Maya Holmes will have more on this story Sunday night at 10 & 11p.m.