Port Hueneme residents try to stay afloat following disastrous storms

PORT HUENEME, Calif.—Luz Rodriguez has lost everything following the flooding from last week’s storm.

“I've gone through whatever savings I had to pay for all this stuff. I have no money left,” said Rodriguez, who lives in Hueneme Bay.

The flooding, which followed a record level of rainfall in the area, destroyed cars, garages, and homes.

Residents like Rodriguez are scrambling to mitigate further damage and mold by removing wet flooring and damaged walls.

“The longer we sit in this and leave it, the more damage, the more is going to get out of control. So I'm been working day in, day out,” said Rodriguez.

In senior communities like Hueneme Bay where many people are evacuated, residents are left vulnerable to looting and burglary, but Luz says safety is the least of her worries.

“If they break in, they break in. I mean, you know, where they can take everything is a loss as far as I'm concerned. I mean, I'm happy that I got my truck and I have my life. So I thank God for that. But as far as everything else, it's all gone,” said Rodriguez.

Still, Port Hueneme Police Department is ramping up efforts to keep people safe. They’ve stepped up patrols not just with officers, but also with traffic enforcement, detectives, and administrative personnel utilizing both marked and unmarked vehicles.

They are already making progress after several reports came in regarding suspicious behavior.

Mike Federico, Chief of Police, Port Hueneme
“There was one individual that the police officers and we arrested him on Christmas morning who is now being tied to several events that occurred in one neighborhood. We're tying that together with both video and eyewitness statements,” said Chief of Police for Port Hueneme Police Department Mike Federico.

The police department is urging residents to report any suspicious behavior.

The city also says it’s critical for residents to report all property and vehicle damages to Ventura county emergency services.

The website for that is www.vcemergency.com