SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — From washed-out docks to devastating flooding, the San Francisco Bay Area is scrambling to clean up after a deadly storm surge hit the region Wednesday.
Here’s a look at where there are reports of downed power lines, landslide threats and downed trees from a Category 3 storm on the ABC7 Exclusive Storm Impact Scale:
LIVE UPDATES: Newsom declares state of emergency for CA to help with storm response
East Bay
Residents of 15 homes in Richmond voluntarily evacuated Tuesday night and Wednesday after the hillside above the Seacliff development began showing signs of mudslides.
Mayor Tom Butt said in his forum e-newsletter Wednesday that arrangements were made for residents without places to go to stay at a hotel in Emeryville. Butt said Seacliff Drive was closed between Seacliff Way and Canal Boulevard, while Seaview Drive and Seacliff Way from Seacliff Drive to Admiralty Way were also closed.
Butt said a geologist was at the site Wednesday morning, as well as a local contractor working to mitigate the damage.
Richmond Police Sgt. Donald Patchin said there is no estimate of when people can return to their homes.
“It’s just a waiting game right now, with this atmospheric river coming in over the next few days,” Patchin said.
In El Cerrito, a large tree fell around 5:30 p.m. The homeowner told us that she has no power and that PG&E will not be able to turn it back on until the tree is cleared.
Another tree fell on a home in Richmond. A landlady was inside, okay, but a tree pierced the roof and entered her son’s room.
Around 6 p.m., a tree fell along Richmond Parkway. Traffic in both directions was blocked, but tree crews were able to push the tree to one side and reopen traffic a few hours later.
Oakland city officials joined numerous Bay Area municipalities in declaring a local state of emergency Wednesday because of the winter storm still battering the region.
The emergency declaration allows the city to call on all personnel to respond to emergency conditions that occur overnight. According to the announcement, the city’s public works, transportation, fire and police departments have been staffed to handle increased service needs.
Fire department crisis responders have been working with unsheltered residents to inform them of shelter options and coordinate transportation for those in need. In addition, the Ira Jinkins Center, at 9175 Edes Ave., near the Coliseum, will offer three free meals on Thursday and provide emergency shelter to all ages and families.
The city’s year-round haven in St. Vincent de Paul, located at 675 23rd Street in West Oakland, has doubled its bed capacity to serve the homeless through Friday morning, allowing them to accommodate up to 100 people.
For residents who need temporary shelter from wet weather, or for those experiencing a power outage, all 18 public library locations are open and have power. Thursday hours are from 10:00 to 17:30 and the main library is open until 20:00.
For the latest information on Oakland’s winter storm updates, see oaklandca.gov/topics/winter-storms.
North Bay
A 2 1/2-year-old boy has died after a redwood tree fell on a double-wide mobile home Wednesday evening in Sonoma County as a massive storm pounded the state, authorities said.
The incident occurred in Occidental as hurricane-force winds battered parts of California as part of the “bomb cyclone” that has also brought heavy rain and flooding, according to Ron Lunardi, the fire chief in Occidental.
RELATED: 2-year-old boy killed in Sonoma Co. after a redwood tree fell on the home identified
The boy has been identified by his family through a GoFundMe as Aeon Tocchini. According to the website, Aeon, who was also known as “Goldie,” shone like the sun. They say she loved “to dance, music moves her soul. She was kind, gentle and had the most loving spirit.”
Highway 116, the road to Guerneville was wet, windy and treacherous. Wednesday’s storm knocked out power in most of the city, but that’s not the biggest concern here.
Sonoma County Supervisor Lynda Hopkins says the Russian River is rising, although it remains below flood stage, the next storm is likely to change that.
“It’s not a matter of if the river floods, it’s when. There won’t be time for the river to go down between atmospheric river events,” Supervisor Hopkins said.
LIVE: Follow the rain in the San Francisco Bay Area with Live Doppler 7
San Francisco
Yellow caution tape near the Chrissy Field warm-up hut in San Francisco didn’t stop some people from crossing to get a better view of the waves crashing on the shore near the Golden Gate Bridge. Some minor flooding carried debris, including rocks, sticks and trash onto a path normally accessible to pedestrians.
As the rain fell Thursday afternoon, the marina was mostly quiet, with little traffic and few people outside. The beach east of Chrissy Beach, a typically popular spot for dogs and their owners even on weekdays, was pretty desolate. The waves washed away much of the beach with the water reaching higher than usual.
San Francisco Public Works crews were out through the night clearing downed trees, draining flooded intersections and clearing blocked walkways after Wednesday’s high winds and rain.
A spokesman for the city’s emergency operations center said Thursday that there have been 445 incidents of downed trees and branches around San Francisco in the past week, with 286 of them reported in the past 24 hours .
Crews have worked continuously to eliminate storm-related threats to the public, including sinkholes, downed power lines, flooded areas and blocked corridors.
Emergency operations officials are reminding residents that sandbags are still available at the Public Works operations yard at Kansas and Marin streets until 8:00 p.m. or while supplies last. Each home or storefront can receive five sandbags
On Wednesday, ABC7 News reporter Lyanne Melendez said glass was falling from two broken windows in the Fox Plaza building, forcing the closure of part of Market and Polk.
RELATED: More than 76,000 customers without power, PG&E says
South Bay
The Santa Cruz County coast has taken a serious hit from the most recent atmospheric river storm.
Tweets from the county’s official Twitter account show “significant damage” to the Capitola and Seacliff piers.
The county announced Thursday morning that the coast was extremely dangerous due to high tides and huge waves.
People should avoid all bodies of water while coastal areas are under a National Weather Service flood warning until 4 p.m. Thursday.
There are also several road closures throughout Santa Cruz County due to flooding.
Peninsula
After heavy rain caused Belmont Creek to overflow last weekend, Belmont officials have closed several city streets as a precautionary measure ahead of the worst part of the storm. Businesses in the area say they are as prepared as they can be.
The San Mateo County Department of Public Works has used 275 tons of sand and more than 18,000 sandbags so far Wednesday, but both supplies are in short supply at this time. We have seen people bringing their garbage bags in the hope that it can help prevent flooding on their property.
Bay City News Service contributed to this article.
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