Series of winter storms nears as Wilton still recovers from recent flooding
WILTON — Another round of winter storms in Northern California winter is expected to begin making landfall over the weekend, and some of the hardest hit areas are battening down the hatches and preparing for the worst while others continue to recover from what's already been damaged.
"We're hoping it doesn't rain again for the next couple weeks," said Wilton resident Tom Mahon.
The heavy rains forced farmers like Tom Mahon to move cattle and equipment as nearby creeks covered crops and destroyed property.
"We moved our cattle to higher ground. All of our fences have been whipped out. It's an expense that we really can't afford," he said.
Mahon took a CBS Sacramento crew on a tour of his property built by his great-grandfather in the 1880s, including the levees that didn't hold up along the Cosumnes River.
"I know the levee breaks have been devastating," he said.
And the worst may not be over.
"Everybody is waiting for the other shoe to drop," Mahon said.
A moment of reprieve Friday in between storm systems is giving Wilton evacuees a chance to process events they never saw coming.
"One client just came in and was expressing [that] since she's lived here, they haven't seen anything to this extent, and she's frustrated and not sure where to start for her recovery," said American Red Cross volunteer Barbara Watson.
She told CBS Sacramento that 15 people are seeking refuge at the Wackford Community Center in Elk Grove.
"We have housing, feeding, showers, any type of medical or mental health care, we have support for them. I think we're not used to using our homes or not knowing how long it's going to take to get back to homes. So there's a lot of depression and anxiety. We have the outreach that they need," Watson said.
Red Cross volunteers say the organization is looking at additional shelter locations should the next wave of storms displace additional neighbors in the area.