Donations pour into San Jose flood shelters

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ByVic Lee KGO logo
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Donations pour into San Jose flood shelters
Over 14,000 people are under a mandatory evacuation order in San Jose Wednesday and many with big hearts brought food, clothing and other items to aid evacuees.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Over 14,000 people are under a mandatory evacuation order in San Jose Wednesday. The emergency overnight shelters are still open in San Jose. Tuesday night there were lots of evacuees there but as the flood waters recede, there may be fewer people there through Wednesday night.[br /][br /][b]RESOURCES: [url HREF="http://abc7news.com/weather/resources-san-jose-flood-evacuation-centers-and-help-info/1766210/" TARGET="" REL=""]San Jose flood evacuation centers and help info[/url][/b][br /][Ads /][br /]Half a dozen residents of a group for those with disabilities left the overnight shelter at Evergreen Valley High School Tuesday night. Police told them to evacuate as flood waters enveloped their street. They left with little more than their medications.[br /][br /]"Last night, it overflowed but over to the grass," said caretaker Mila Kusamoto. "But now everything is clear so we can go back home."[br /][br /]"I never saw the water as high as it was there," said Keith Thomas, a San Jose resident. His apartment complex is right next to Coyote Creek.[br /][br /]Water receeded from the complex's parking lot Wednesday, leaving a muddy trail. Tuesday Thomas took no chances. He left quickly with his two-year-old son Houston as the river spilled its banks. They found refuge at a shelter.[br /][br /]The Red Cross had little time to prepare for manditory evacuations. "We quickly got a lot more cots started, arranging for food--all the things it takes to have a shelter," said Stephanie Charles.[br /][br /]The donations just keep coming. Marisol Reyes brought her six children. "We brought blankets, some toys, socks, and baby clothes," she said.[br /][Ads /][br /][b]INSURANCE HELP: [url HREF="http://abc7news.com/home/7-on-your-side-help-with-flood-insurance-claims/1766524/[br /]" TARGET="" REL=""]7 on Your Side helps with flood insurance claims[/url][/b][br /][br /]There wre others with generous hearts. Some teachers from Shirakawa Elementary School were among the volunteers. "Just curious about how our families are doing, make sure we're there for them both in person and financially here," said Christine Switzer. "We're going to step up as teachers."[br /][br /][b][url HREF="http://abc7news.com/apps/" TARGET="" REL=""]Click here[/url] to download the ABC7 News App to get your weather forecast on the go. And make sure you enable push alerts for immediate notifications and severe weather alerts.[/b]