Emergency declared in San Diego due to flooding from record rain

San Diego’s mayor has declared a state of emergency after record rainfall Monday caused destructive flash flooding.

Torrential rain hit much of the state of California, and floodwaters in the southern part of the state swept away vehicles, caused cars to pile on top of one another and overwhelmed houses, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

The Mountain View, Shelltown and Southcrest neighborhoods of San Diego were hit with several feet of water. Many roads, including Interstate 15, were impacted or closed due to the flooding.

The National Weather Service (NWS) station in San Diego reported that the nearly 3 inches of rain that fell on Monday made it the fourth-wettest day on record. As of Monday afternoon, NWS said the San Diego River was actively flooding.

“Please stay safe. Stay home if possible and never attempt to travel on flooded roads,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria posted online.

People were pulled to safety after water rushed into homes in Spring Valley and Casa de Oro. Others escaped by wading through waist-high water with their pets, the AP reported.

“Flooding is pretty widespread out there,” San Diego County Sheriff Lt. Zee Sanchez said.   

The Red Cross has established an emergency shelter site for people impacted by the flooding and storm damage, the city said.

In the northern part of the state, the mountains around Lake Tahoe could see more than a foot of snow. The Sierra Avalanche Center in Truckee, Calif., issued an avalanche warning but said while the storm fell “way short” of expectations, triggering an avalanche still may be possible.