Update: Crews work to repair Main Street in Soquel after Bates Creek washes out road

SOQUEL -- Crews in Soquel were scrambling to make repairs to the town's main road, hoping to reconnect residents who were trapped in their homes early Friday when the Bates Creek washed out Main Street.

Runoff from the torrential downpour fueled by an atmospheric river turned the normally tranquil water of Bates Creek into a raging torrent Friday morning. 

More than 6 inches of rain fell in the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains as the region remains under a National Weather Service flood watch until Sunday.

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With the soil already saturated by weeks of stormy weather, the rain quickly filled rivers, creeks and other smaller waterways.

Bates Creek quickly rose and with force wiped out the only road in and out of the community.  A shelter in place alert was issued for residents of Cherryvale, Glen Haven, Prescott and other neighborhoods.

"It's unimaginable," said Ed, a local resident. "I just could not believe, if you told me this was going to occur, I'd say never."

Mary Tausheck was among the residents stranded by the washout.

"I'm prepared, I have plenty of food," she told KPIX. "As long as the power doesn't go out, I'm good."

The incident was unexpected and left many residents like Mina Feuerhaken in shock.

"I did hear a really, really loud noise in the middle of the night, and I didn't think anything of it. It was pouring rain," said Feuerhaken. "This morning when I woke up around 6:30, I saw tons of cars lined up – which is unusual – and then saw people in yellow suits out the window. So I figured it's not good news. And I came out here and we have no road."

Feuerhaken told KPIX that she has lived in Soquel with her family for almost four years and had never experienced anything like this.

"It got really bad on New Year's Eve here with the water level, but I never saw anything like this," she said.

She was not alone. Many other families found themselves in a similar situation, unable to leave their homes due to the raging floodwaters.

"At 3 a.m., we got a code red. And this morning, as I was coming out, I was told by a neighbor that the road is closed," explained Charlie Strauhal Jr. "And when I came down, there, washed out."

The local authorities were quick to respond. By Friday afternoon, crews had dumped boulders into the area where the creek had washed out the road. The plan is to try and install a temporary roadway.

So far, there has been no word as to when the repairs to Main Street will be completed and the cutoff residents able to leave their homes.

Additionally, all Soquel Creek Water District customers north of Bates Creek have lost water service.. The issue is affecting over 40 houses. 

Customers in the vicinity of North Main Street, Cherryvale, Glen Haven, and neighboring side streets have been identified and there is a boil water notice in effect for this area. 

Soquel Creek Water District staff is working on restoring water to all impacted customers by the end of tthe day Friday.