Flooded Paradise Park community near Santa Cruz cleans up ahead of next major storm

SANTA CRUZ -- People living in the Paradise Park community on the outskirts of Santa Cruz were busy cleaning up and drying out from this weekend's torrential rains that sent the nearby San Lorenzo River overflowing into their neighborhood.

"By the time we were ready to go about an hour later, we had water up to the front of our home," says homeowner Kirk Stangeland who evacuated after being warned by the Sheriff's Office about the potential for flooding.

KPIX 5 First Alert Weather: Current Conditions, Forecasts, Alerts For Your Area

Stangeland spent Monday cleaning up the muddy mess left in the aftermath of the weekend storm. His backyard was buried beneath mud and sand from the river. Potted plants were overturned and scattered. But he says thankfully the floodwaters never reached the inside of his home -- a small victory in the face of mother nature's onslaught.

"It's just cold, wet, dirty, depressing work. But in our case at least, it is a first-world problem," he said.

His neighbors shared his frustration. The thin ribbon of road that connects their community became a waterway Saturday.

"Once it breaches, it fills the garages first," said neighbor Melissa Allred.

Melissa Allred said several feet of water flooded her parent's garage and seeped into the lowest levels of her own home across the street.

"Our tables, our workshops were swept right up and tipped over," she said.

The homeowners say they're preparing for a likely encore later in the week with even more wet weather in the forecast.