Cleanup underway after storm rocked Bay Area

Wayne Freedman Image
ByWayne Freedman KGO logo
Friday, December 5, 2014
Tiburon businesses owners mop up after storm
Several businesses in one Tiburon shopping center were closed due to storm damage after a nearby pumping station failed.

Cleanup is underway across the Bay Area from storms that knocked power out, damaged property and made a mess of roads.[br /][br /]Officials in Marin County called Wednesday's rainfall a 25-year storm and said an 1.25 inches of rain fell per hour. [br /][br /]At the Cove Shopping Center Thursday morning, business was not usual. Signs were posted on stores saying stores were closed due to flooding. [br /][br /]"We got hammered pretty bad, anywhere from 16 inches all the way up to 22," said Frank Cruz, owner of a UPS store.[br /][br /][b][url HREF="http://abc7news.com/weather/photos-strong-rain-and-winds-hit-the-bay-area/418979/#gallery-1" TARGET="" REL=""]PHOTOS: Strong rain and winds hit the Bay Area[/url][/b][br /][post ID="418979" /][br /][br /]Seven businesses in the shopping center were cleaning up from severe water damage[br /][br /]Cruz in his ups store, Ed Lopez in his window coverings business, Jeff Harband in his physical therapy center were all mopping up Thursday.[br /][br /]A surveillance camera at Champagne Salon and Day Spa recorded an inch and a quarter of rainfall per hour. Water crept in and stoleMaggie Champagne's floors, drywall and business at the busiest time of the year.[br /][br /]"It was unbelievable," she said, "like a swimming pool."[br /][br /]This occurred because a nearby county pumping station couldn't keep up. A county engineer said two electric motors overheated and shut down. Crews spent Thursday doing failure analysis.[br /][br /]The county declined to talk about it more. Business owners in Tiburon have a little less faith.[br /][br /]"I don't think we will leave anything on the floor anymore," Lopez said. [br /][br /]"Next time it rains I will be here in a heartbeat, for sure," Champagne added.[br /][br /]And, she says, with sandbags.[br /][br /]The flooding in Mill Valley was made worse by Thursday's high tide. Several streets were still closed Thursday morning, including the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 101. [br /][br /]The flood water left several cars stranded at a park and ride lot. At least two cars have not been able to move since Wednesday.[br /][br /]Several people who couldn't drive away from the shoreline slogged through the floodwater to get to work.[br /][br /]In San Francisco, a repair job is now underway to fix that large sinkhole at Sixth Avenue and Lake Street by next Tuesday.[br /][br /]A 100-year-old water pipe burst Wednesday, starting a pavement cave-in that grew large enough to swallow several cars.[br /][br /]In the Mission District, businesses along Folsom and 17th streets have major flood damage, a result of the aging system's failures.[br /][br /]The owners are asking for more city help to prevent future floods.[br /][br /][b][url HREF="VIDEO: Bay Bridge pothole creates rainy commute headache[br /]" TARGET="" REL=""]VIDEO: Bay Bridge pothole creates rainy commute[/url][/b][br /][post ID="421250" /][br /][br /]On the peninsula, a road in Belmont could remain closed until next week because of a collapsed storm drain. The collapse happened Wednesday on Middle Road between El Camino Real and Cypress Avenue. Caltrans says the closure could continue until next Tuesday.[br /][br /]Send us your photos and video of the thunder and lightning. You can email them to uReport@kgo-tv.com or upload them here on our [url HREF="http://ureport.abc7news.com/" TARGET="" REL=""]uReport page[/url] or directly through the [url HREF="http://abc7news.com/apps/" TARGET="" REL=""]ABC7 News and ABC7 Weather apps[/url].