Storm damage closes dozens of streets in Carmel

Carmel-By-The-Sea residents spent their Wednesday night hoping the wind doesn’t knocking anything through their roof.

“It was such a huge crash it shook the whole house. I thought it hit the house. The size of the tree was just enormous,” said Kelley Lefmann.

The storm ripped through the city, with trees and power lines being torn limb from limb near Carpenter Street and 5th Avenue.

As much of the city got their power back by early Thursday afternoon, people like Lefmann were still in the dark – walking through roads littered with electrical lines and debris.

“(We had the) Water main break. The power going out. The cars being blocked in. The power lines flying all over the place,” Lefmann tells KION.

She says at least five poles were damaged near her home.

“At night, the third tree fell. I’m a pretty brave person but it was pretty dicey, I’m not going to lie. I thought I was going to get taken out.”

Steve Robinson has been living in the area for 23 years. Thursday he was sweeping the street around his house, thankful this didn’t end up like it did for him two years ago.

“We had a big six inch limb fall on our garage and basically take the roof out,” Robinson said.

Both Robinson and Lefmann believe something needs to be done about many of the city’s trees, making them easier to get removed.

“This seems to be related to these Monterey Pines,” Robinson said, pointing out a tree limb inching closer to a power line. “You can see the Monterey Pine right here with the limb hanging out.”

“When you look at a tree that you know has rot. And it is as tall and old as it is, and it is swaying and being pulled from the roots, you’ve got to rethink some of the trimming laws,” Lefmann said.

But even on a rough day with an overcast forecast, Lefmann is looking on the bright side.

“I’m just really grateful that we’re safe. It is one of the risks you run living in this amazing place.”

UPDATE: 1/17/2019 3:06 p.m. Power has largely returned by Thursday afternoon in Carmel, but now the clean-up from this week’s storm begins.

According to Carmel’s City Manager, CHip Rerig, there are 12 street closures due to trees down on electrical wires.

A crew member on scene says that about a dozen trees fell in the area. Power lines are still seen on Carpenter Street dangling from their poles.

“Only PG&E’s staff and contractors can remove trees touching or adjacent to ‘live wires,'” said Rerig.

Officals said a transformer outside the city blew up, which is the main cause of the city-wide power outage.

PG&E doesn’t expect to fully restore power until early Thursday evening.

“We have detours marked on the closed streets where available and PG&E has crews redirecting traffic,” said Rerig.

The Carmel Youth Center is open and being used as a warming center.

KION’s Aaron Groff will have the full report tonight on KION at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.

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