Local state of emergency declared in Port Hueneme following rain damage

City leaders in Port Hueneme have declared a local state of emergency, seeking state and federal assistance to help residents recover from the surge of rain that damaged homes and businesses last week.

Peak rainfall hit the Oxnard area between 4 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20 through 2 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 21. Some parts of the city of Oxnard got around just under 5 inches of rain in six hours, prompting flash flood warnings and evacuations for the area.

Port Hueneme had its heaviest downpour early Dec. 21, where nearly 3 inches of rain dropped in 45 minutes.

Around 60 homes were evacuated in the Hueneme Bay neighborhood, with vehicles submerged in water on the flooded roads. Neighbors living near Hemlock Street dubbed it Lake Hemlock at the time of the storm.

Gary Harbour's townhome on Hemlock Street was flooded by the deluge. He said water was four to six inches deep in his living room, kitchen, and downstairs bathroom. "The whole downstairs was flooded," Harbour said.  

The Vasquez family used buckets to clear standing water from the floor of their home on Bolker Drive.

"It's a lot of rain that we aren't used to and it came absolutely pounding and pouring down about one o'clock in the morning," resident Annika Hernandez said.  

Officials said they have provided lodging assistance for around a dozen families. 

The Port Hueneme City Council held a special meeting Wednesday morning to ratify the local emergency declaration.