Clean up continues following recent storms along the coast
SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-The eve before Christmas Eve looked like an old-fashioned Kodak moment along the Central Coast, but that was not the case during the recent downpour.
"It is a drastic difference than what is was the other day, we arrived during the storm, but right now it is a peaceful day in Santa Barbara," said Pouria Mistani.
UCSB Doctoral candidate Samaria Pakravan agrees.
"I've never seen rain like that here, but today is very lovely,"
The National Weather Service recorded more than 3 inches of rain in an hour in Oxnard and Port Hueneme on Thursday morning.
Many people woke up emergency alerts about a tornado warning in the same area.
"If someone had said to me a couple of days ago that this was going to happen in a million years I never would have believed them. It is just crazy," said Bobbie Hellard.
The Hueneme Bay resident woke up to flooding in her home and garage where she keeps a lot of her sewing projects.
One of her sewing machines is now in the dumpster.
First responders including firefighters are surveying the damage up and down the coast.
The American Red Cross is also contacting people impacted the most.
"It was just too much rain too fast." Red Cross Public Information Officer Dave Wagner.
Wagner found many people inside their garages on Saturday.
"We are trying to help people in every way we can, we have vehicles coming with clean up kits so they can clean up their homes and their garages and try to get back in that way, "said Wagner, "We are taking out a case by case basis for people who can't get back into their homes and trying to help them get into a better situation while they are waiting for their homes to be repaired."
Since nice weather may not last after the Christmas holiday, now is a good time to prepare for the next storm that could move through the area next week.
