Flooded-out Pajaro residents, evacuees frustrated over pace of levee repairs
PAJARO -- Residents of Pajaro -- both those who evacuated and those who remained in their homes -- say they're growing increasingly frustrated with the county's response to devastating flooding.
"They let you out, but they don't let you back in," said Leonardo Torres while waiting on the bridge that connects Pajaro to Watsonville. The bridge has a become a communal meeting place for people who decided not to evacuate.
Under the county's current policy, once residents leave Pajaro, they are not being allowed to return. County officials say because there's no running water, it's not safe or sanitary.
"If they're going to consider this a new border -- like with any other country -- then give us passports. It sounds like a joke. But it's desperately needed. And we have the technology. I don't understand why it doesn't get down," Torres said.
At a press conference Monday, county officials said they were eyeing the end of week for a possible re-entry plans for evacuated residents.
"It's very frustrating," said Ruth Ruiz, whose family evacuated as floodwaters first rushed into their family house nearly a week and a half ago.
Ruiz says residents should be allowed to access their homes and begin to clean up.
"By the time we're allowed in there -- who knows when -- the damage is going to be triple what it was on day one," she said.
