Hemet Residents, Businesses Clean Up Flood Damage
HEMET (CBSLA.com) — Residents and business owners are cleaning up a muddy mess Thursday after major flooding and mudslides in Riverside County.
Flooding was especially bad on Florida Avenue and Dartmouth Thursday, where roadways, homes and even a medical center were overrun with water.
Water got into Andrea Contreras' home through her fireplace, getting into the hallways and both bedrooms.
"There was like 2 inches of water in here," Contreras said. "Went in there and in my laundry room and just flooded everywhere, everywhere."
Contreras and her two teenage sons had to stay home from work and school to clean up – rip up carpets and even try to dry out a laptop computer.
"This is the carpet we had to take apart, afraid it was gonna mold," Contreras' son said.
The boys even feared their goats would float away or drown in the flood.
"The water was up to my knees," he said.
Nearby Valley Medical Center had to close its doors when employees walked in to find water everywhere.
Many of these homeowners and business owners do not have flood insurance.
"I can't afford carpet," Contreras said. "I worry about the mildew and everything else, I don't know, I just really don't have any words."