2 storm-related deaths reported in Sonoma County
SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KGO) -- In the North Bay, severe storms and flooding have now claimed the lives of two people.
Both deaths happened in Sonoma County during heavy rains and road closures due to flooding. All eyes are still watching an area where a landslide occurred, destroying a home.
"That's the hard part: going through the flooding, you don't know what's down there. Sad," said Zane Symmonds.
Neighbors were reacting to the tragic death of a man who drowned in deep floodwaters on Sanford Road outside Sebastopol. The road has been closed for several days. First responders got assistance from the National Guard, using a high-water vehicle for the search.
"This person was not in a vehicle. They were on foot. There was a bike located by this individual," said Chad Hall from Sonoma County Fire District.
TIMELINE: Latest round of rain, strong winds to bring more flooding and downed trees
On Wednesday morning, Sonoma County Sheriff's Department and fire personnel found a deceased man stuck in a drain culvert on Franz Valley Road in Eastern Santa Rosa. At this point, authorities aren't sure how the man died.
"In the last 72 hours, we had 10 swift water rescues in our area," Hall said.
Sonoma County Fire's swift water rescue teams were busy coming to the rescue of stranded motorists and pedestrians after epic rainfall this week.
"We try to close roads signs, put up messaging: 'Don't drive through flooded roads,' 'Turn around, don't drown' but people don't hear the warnings," Hall said.
In the meantime, all eyes are on a Santa Rosa hillside where a mudslide cascaded onto a home, trapping Robert Boyd's family for a time until rescue crews arrived. He got a call from his wife.
VIDEO: House falls into Russian River after landslide in Forestville; residents evacuated, authorities say
"She was obviously panicking. She didn't know if she could get out. It was too scary, very scary," Boyd said.
Sixteen homes near Deer Trail Court are under an evacuation warning, while city and county crews monitor the hillside for stability.
"We're in communication with one another, to make sure the community knows what's happening. There's a plan in place in the event something happens, these warnings are similar for what we do in a wildfire," said Santa Rosa Fire Department Division Chief Paul Lowenthal.
As of Thursday afternoon, Lowenthal said the hillside was holding with no movement.
The identity of two drowning victims have not been released.
