San Jose evacuees devastated by flood damage

Lisa Amin Gulezian Image
ByLisa Amin Gulezian KGO logo
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
San Jose evacuees devastated by flood damage
San Jose residents are losing everything to the floods from Coyote Creek and Mayor Sam Liccardo says residents are sticking together to make it through.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- The San Jose neighborhood that suffered the most Tuesday is called Rockspring. It's along Senter Road, not far from the Los Lagos Golf Course. Flooding remains a huge problem.

RESOURCES: San Jose flood evacuation centers and help info

"My pictures, my kids' pictures," devastated evacuee Carmen Davalos said. "All I cannot replace, I took in the van because I want to save it, but I lost."

Flood water destroyed all of the personal possessions she cherished most. She tried to escape her apartment on Rock Springs Drive in a packed minivan but had to abandon it.

The same sad scene played out all over San Jose.

Water covered 20 acres of Watson Park Tuesday afternoon. "You don't expect any flooding in a downtown area, yeah," said downtown San Jose resident Kevin Lowe.

On 16th Street near William Street Park, you could see a row of cars covered in water. Trees fell, water rushed into homes, residents there also had to evacuate.

"What am I gonna do now besides freak out," said evacuee Judy Georges. "I'm gonna see what comes in the morning."

So far, time hasn't been on San Jose's side.

Analysts thought Coyote Creek would have stopped rising by early afternoon, but it didn't.

RELATED: More than 200 San Jose residents evacuated in floods

The city's mayor admits the speed and the spread of the flood water is staggering. "All the data we've gotten has not been accurate," said Sam Liccardo. "I'm not relying on any data at this point so we're all hustling to take care of each other."

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