Santa Cruz County residents evacuated as heavy rains hit central coast
FELTON, Calif. (KION) Santa Cruz County residents who have been placed under evacuation orders due to concerns over debris flow from the CZU Lightning Complex Fire burn scar gathered at San Lorenzo Valley High School and Middle School Sunday.
The schools are serving as evacuation centers for those who have been displaced.
One resident came out to an evacuation meeting point at San Lorenzo Valley High School to spend the night.
"People losing their homes and stuff with the trees and stuff and the mountain sliding with the debris and stuff. people could be sleeping and not be aware of it," said Stark Ward, a Felton resident.
Authorities say this is just the beginning of this storm with the heaviest rains in Santa Cruz county forecasted from Sunday evening to early Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
"Later this afternoon, coupled with the high winds creates a increased likelihood or a high likelihood of landslides, debris flow. And really, our big concern there is obviously houses that are in those low lying areas," said Sergeant Daniel Robbins from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office.
On Sunday evening, the shelter did not receive a lot of evacuees with just one person checking in and a few parking their RV's.
"People are either making those decisions trying to go live with their families, friends, taking hotels and things. We also have a pretty experienced population in the valley and despite the warnings, a lot of people will hunker down in their own homes.,” said Randy Fedak, site manager for the San Lorenzo Valley High School evacuation meeting point.
The Sheriff's Office tells KION there is also an increase in winds throughout the day which could make a weather event like this more dangerous for central coast residents.
"I think our big message for us is that, you know, we just urge people that are in those evacuation order zones to, you know, to get out of the area. We don't want people, we don't want people in those zones because it's just not it's not safe," said Robbins.
The emergency shelter is located on 7105 Highway 9, Felton.
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