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36,000 Families Evacuated Due to San Jose Floods, Mayor Says
More than 36,000 families have evacuated their homes in San Jose since Coyote Creek flooded, Mayor Sam Liccardo said Wednesday.
SOUTH BAY, CA -- More than 36,000 families have evacuated their homes in San Jose since Coyote Creek flooded parts of the city on Tuesday, Mayor Sam Liccardo said during a Wednesday morning news conference near one of the flooded areas.
Some 14,000 households are in the three mandatory evacuation areas, including almost 500 families from apartments in the Rock Springs neighborhood, the East William Street corridor including Brookwood Terrace and parts of Naglee Park and three mobile home parks along Oakland Road.
More than 400 people have been evacuated by boat and about 300 people are staying at two overnight shelters supported by the Red Cross and Salvation Army, according to the mayor.
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"We have in San Jose some very tired first responders," Liccardo said at the conference, thanking the fire crews and police working multiple overtime shifts to evacuate the affected neighborhoods.
To community members wishing to donate to help the affected families, Liccardo said, "We do not need stuff. We do not need blankets and materials. What we need is money to help families recover."
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Those wishing to donate can access the San Jose Flood Victims Relief Fund on sjmayor.org, Liccardo said. The Silicon Valley Auto Dealers Association has contributed $100,000.
PG&E, the Knight Foundation and the Silicon Valley Organization have also donated to the fund, the mayor said. Lyft is offering free rides to affected families.
Residents of the three mandatory evacuation areas have been urged not to return to their homes because of the contaminated water.
"The water is not safe. There is contamination in this water, and the contamination runs the gamut," Liccardo said. "Obviously, we saw vehicles that were inundated in Rock Springs. That's certainly fuel and oil, but also we're concerned about any potential mixing with sewer as well."
Evacuated families have not been told when they can return to their homes.
"Bluntly, the water is receding, but we are far from out of this," Liccardo said. "We are going to insist on continuing the evacuation period through today, until we have a better handle on what's happening with these water flows."
By Bay City News/Image via Shutterstock