Flood water prompts mobile home park residents to evacuate

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ByChris Nguyen KGO logo
Friday, December 12, 2014
Flood water forces mobile home residents to evacuate
The powerful storm that hit the Bay Area in more than five years caused major damage and prompted mobile park residents on the Peninsula to spend the day pumping water out of their property.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (KGO) -- Residents at a mobile home park on the Peninsula spent the day pumping water out of their property.

It was an agonizing process that left many of them frustrated, and wondering, what's next?

The mobile home park on E Bayshore Road was evacuated Thursday.

At the Lamar Mobile Park it seemed like an island getaway that nobody wanted. "I start crying, you know why, because I can't go in my house to get all my stuff out," Maria Serrato said.

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Dozens of residents were forced out of their homes after water started rising fast due to the storm.

Serrato has lived there for 20 years and is angry at what she says, is the lack of response from the property owner. "We've been working all morning, trying to take the water out, you know, drain it out," Serrato said.

These families have been working together around the clock. "I was really, really shocked. I see the level of the water coming up and I said, 'oh, it's time,' pick up all my stuff and go," Miguel Caprisel said.

One neighbor took matters into his own hands by borrowing a water pump from his place of employment. "My boss is a good man, and he says, 'well yeah go ahead and take anything you want for help," Caprisel said.

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They've left multiple messages for the property owner and so did ABC7 News, but he didn't return any of our calls.

Neighbors are now just trying to stay positive. "We're working, that's all we can do, you know, we can't fight mother nature," Miguel Garcia said.

It has been a physical, yet emotional battle. "Believe me, I don't have the words to say or express myself, how sad I am from inside, but it's really sad," Serrato said.

The Red Cross did set up a nearby shelter for the residents here. Many though, chose to stay with friends and family Thursday night and some opted to ride out the storm in their cars.

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