Storm sends water rushing into Saratoga woman's backyard

Amanda del Castillo Image
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Storm sends water rushing into Saratoga woman's backyard
The storm sent water rushing into a Saratoga woman's backyard Wednesday night.

SARATOGA, Calif. (KGO) -- Wednesday's storm blanketed the Bay Area, causing downed trees, downed power lines and water damage throughout the South Bay.

In Saratoga, crews were working quickly to help save a home from flooding, along Sobey Road.

ABC7 News crews took a walk around the property and the rushing water measured about a foot high. The source of that water created fear in long-time homeowner, Maryam Hashemi.

A brick wall separated Hashemi's home from a wall of water. The accumulated water was rushing through openings in the brick wall.

Hashemi was nearly in tears, fearing the wall would give way at any moment during the storm.

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A large oak tree is seen across a road after falling in Lafayette, Calif. on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019.
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She explained a nearby unnamed creek was recently "plugged," ultimately leaving any runoff with nowhere to go. ABC7 News located a Sobey Creek nearby, although Hashemi couldn't specify whether that was the source.

She said a six-foot crawl space beneath her home was also flooded, and feared her home of 23 years was next.

When asked whether Hashemi and her family made any special preparations ahead of Wednesday's storm, she said the family never had problems in the past. Preparations were not made.

The front of her garage resembled a rushing river.

"This is nothing compared to what you see in the back," Hashemi said. "The back is like a huge lake because the water- everything is draining from that side because the creek is plugged- and it's all behind that wall."

Wednesday's rained lightened up around 11 p.m., offering little relief to Hashemi. She said once the rain picks up overnight, the same flooding would reoccur.

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