The Pajaro River in Watsonville breached last Saturday in the early hours of the morning. 1700 residents of the Pajaro community were evacuated in the middle of the night. Flooding caused a 350 feet breach of the river levee and five feet of water covered the town. Pajaro has a population that is 94% Hispanic, with many residents to are undocumented and don’t speak English. Santa Cruz and Monterey counties have provided shelters in Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, Cabrillo College gym, and Watsonville Veterans Memorial Building since. The shelters provide beds, food, supplies and services such as emotional support and medical needs. Santa Cruz Metro’s ParaCruz is offering free transportation to and from evacuation shelters. Cabrillo College intern Elnaz Sarbar Boczek spoke with Hector Torres, a resident of Pajaro, who had to evacuate his house with his family on Saturday. Officials say the shelter at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds will be expanded and those at Cabrillo College and Watsonville Veterans Memorial Building will be on standby. Discounts are available in hotels in both Santa Cruz and Monterey counties for flood victims. Monterey county is also working with nonprofits to provide hotel vouchers. CalTrans has reopened Highway One, which had been closed for days due to concerns about bridge safety. CalFire is doing a disaster inspection of homes and commercial buildings to assess the damage. Following that, the county will inspect structural integrity, utility safety, and water supply before lifting evacuation orders. An update will be provided in the coming days. Many residents who lost everything in the floods are not eligible for federal assistance due to their immigration status. The Community Foundations for Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties are collecting donations to be distributed to nonprofits helping all flood victims.
