Storm brings lightning show, heavy rain to Placerville
PLACERVILLE — Placerville was pelted Wednesday.
The downpour from the atmospheric river hit city streets, and a lightning show lit up the sky with thunder all around.
Wednesday's round of heavy rain came as Main Street Auto owner Jeremy Lamberson used heavy equipment to shore up the flood damage done to his auto shop over New Year's weekend. Debris floating in Hangtown Creek knocked out part of his foundation.
"This is an emergency condition," Lamberson said. "A state of emergency at our business."
Sandbags were a sight outside many Placerville stores, with some preparing to take extreme weather pounding again.
"Bracing for more of the same," Sacred Roots owner Kelly Chiusano said. "We've learned that water comes up quick, drains plugs. You got to stay on your gutters, your drains, channels, all those culverts. That stuff changes quick and it's wild out there."
CBS13 spotted a tree that snapped in half, falling into power lines and nearly smashing a car. A great-grandfather and son described the moments the tree came crashing down near their home.
"I heard the crash, and, of course, everything went dark. So I came out and I turned the light on, and I noticed that the tree was in our yard basically, but it was smoking, so I knew the [power] lines were hot," the great-grandfather said. " So we just kind of stayed back until these guys came and shut it off and put the power out."
No one was injured by the tree. City crews said it didn't make sense to try and move the tree during the storm. Power was out in the area and is expected to remain out at least until the morning.
