California is a flood-prone state, facing flash floods, snowmelt, and dam failures. You may not be able to prevent emergencies, but you can have a plan in place.
Our history shows devastating floods all the way back to 1862 when The Great Flood nearly bankrupt California. Unexpected floods similar to these can cause immense damage to your home and business.
California Dam Failures
The St. Francis Dam, a 205-foot-tall dam that held nearly 12 billion gallons of water, catastrophically failed on March 12, 1928. Thousands of structures were destroyed and hundreds of lives were cut short.
The St. Francis Dam was owned by the City of Los Angeles, which conducted numerous investigations after its malfunction. Revisions to dam structure and maintenance were implemented as a result.
Since this flood, which was one of the worst in California history, most of the affected areas have been rebuilt. A disaster site remains, to educate and inform those that pass about the disaster, and to remind everyone of this historic flood.
Flash Floods
We have all heard the abrasive siren emanate from our television—that repetitive beeping which interrupts your favorite primetime show to notify the community of flash flood conditions in the area. This alarm, although annoying, is imperative— flash flood conditions escalate quickly.
In California, these flash floods are typically a result of severe rainfall. As California is not built for extreme weather conditions, when the rain comes down fast and hard, our streets turn into streams, and our waterways turn into raging rivers. This subsequently causes mudslides, which result in devastating property damage
In 1969, the Cucamonga Creek turned into the Cucamonga River, spilling water onto local streets. Nearby mountains alone, saw approximately 50 inches of rain. This downpour led to the collapse of the Van Buren bridge in Riverside.
Waves of bad weather caused a vicious cycle of repairing and restoring, flood after flood.
In 2005, Southern California was hit by 20 inches of rain in a 5 day period. Without the infrastructure to handle this amount of water drainage, a major mudslide occurred in Ventura County, and the LA river spilled over into neighboring businesses and homes. Many properties were destroyed, and many lives changed. This flood left California in a state of emergency.
Once the flood was under control, people began rebuilding and restoring what they had lost.
How to Recover From a Flood
You can't prevent damages from flooding; however, you can be safe about restoring your property after a flash flood. It is important to wait until an all-clear from officials, before returning to your property.
We know the stress that comes along with post-flood restorations. That's why we at Clear Coast Restoration are here to make your home or business restoration a smooth one. From helping navigate insurance companies to drying out your space—we help you get back on your feet.
Emergency Services like ours are here to restore your home or business to its pre-loss condition quickly. As more time passes, the water damage to your property will only increase. Time is of the essence when it comes to post-flood repairs. Contact your local restoration company ASAP if your property is affected by a flood.
If you do encounter water damage at your property, contact Clear Coast Restoration, at (909) 443-2626, for water damage restoration services. We are available 24/7 for your emergency needs.