'It's destroyed': West Portal homes flooded during heavy rain

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Sunday, December 8, 2019
'It's destroyed': SF residents' home flooded during heavy rain
At least 12 homes were flooded in San Francisco's West Portal neighborhood. For one family, it happened to be their son's second birthday.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Heavy rain caused major flooding across San Francisco. On Market and Church streets, drivers hesitated to pass through the flooded roadways that some on social media described as "Lake Market Street."

VIDEO: Intense downpours turn SF streets, Muni stairs into rivers

In the West Postal neighborhood, at least a dozen homes flooded.

"We moved in here a couple of months ago in September and somebody had vaguely mentioned in passing that this neighborhood gets flooded but we didn't know that it was going to be this bad," said West Portal resident, Aditi Das.

The flooding was worse than what Das anticipated. The boxes in her garage were wet.

In a matter of minutes, 15th Avenue flooded. Water levels reached at least 16 inches high.

RELATED: Heavy rain prompts Flood Warning for San Francisco: National Weather Service

According to West Portal resident, Rosa Maria Gonzalez, by the time others realized how high the water was getting it was too late to react.

"Not with how fast it came and the city was great at dropping off pallets (with sandbags) at all the corners but I just think that it came too quickly for us," said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez had boxes of personal items and furniture inside her garage that after the flood, she'll have to throw away.

RELATED: Flooding, power outage shut down parts of San Francisco Muni

Across the street from the Gonzalez family, we met the Cervantes'. They had balloons and tables set up. Cleaning was not in their plans as tonight was their son's second birthday.

"Yes, it's gone, it's destroyed. We are going to replace everything but luckily our bed didn't get wet so at least we have a bed to sleep on," said Kevin Cervantes.

Their garage flooded, and their furniture and personal belongings are now ruined.