Residents of the Driftwood Mobile Home Park in Modesto, California, were issued voluntary evacuation orders on Friday.
The community sits along the Tuolumne River, and with another major storm system due to hit the area; officials were not taking any chances.
While some of the homes in the community sit on higher ground, there are also some that sit closer to the river – literally in their backyard.
According to News 10, resident Raymund Lee says that he has lived in Modesto for more than two decades and was there during the 1995 floods. He doesn’t think the water will get as high and is opting to stay, putting sandbags around his home.
“The water is coming up on the backside and sinking many of the mobile trailers [sic] in the mud,” said Lee.
While some residents opted to stay, many of the areas that used to have homes are now empty, especially the ones right next to the river. Heavy winds from earlier in the week have knocked down parts of the fence, which was the only thing guarding the community from the river.
“They’re telling us it’s mandatory. They want this whole row gone,” said resident Riley Utley, whose home was one of the closer ones to the river. “[Other officials] say we don’t have to…let’s just do it.“
In light of the situation, several towing companies volunteered their services to get homes out of danger as quickly as possible, and neighbors worked to help each other despite the conditions.
Neighbors also came despite gusty winds and heavy rain to help each other out.
“We just want to make sure they’re safe. We’ve got kids here and that’s the most important thing,” said resident Carla Pongio, who lives on higher ground.
“I can hear the roar of the water. [The storm’s] coming.”
Many parts of California are struggling with effects from winter storms, including the Balls Ferry Fishing Resort & Mobile Home Park in Anderson, California, where residents were trying to avoid the Sacramento River as it flooded the area. That story is linked here. ##
(Image credits are as shown above.)
Submitted by RC Williams to the Daily Business News for MHProNews.
