SAN DIEGO (KGTV)- San Diego residents who lived through the devastating floods of 2024 are taking steps to prepare for what could be another difficult storm season, as the city warns a potentially strong El Niño may bring heavy rain, flooding, and mudslides this winter.
Kayla Tinker was among the families displaced by the 2024 floods and said the experience left a lasting impact.
"Everybody who was in the lower units, our apartments flooded out. Some apartments got anywhere up to 20 ft of water in their apartments. One of my sisters actually got trapped in an apartment, and the neighbor had to break the glass to get her and her kids out," Tinker said.
The historic flooding damaged homes and displaced families across parts of San Diego. For Tinker, the memory of that storm still brings anxiety when rain arrives.
"It's kind of traumatic. Like anytime there's rain, like I don't know for everybody else, but for me it always brings a sense of fear, like is it going to happen again?" Tinker said.
City officials have been preparing for El Niño by clearing storm drains and maintaining the 15 stormwater pump stations to ensure they are working and ready. Officials warn the season could bring heavier rain, flooding, mudslides, and other infrastructure problems.
Another 2024 flood victim, Monica Hill, said she is also taking precautions.
"I don't want to have to go through this again for the second time, you know, trying to figure out how to prepare for it, if we're going to get any help right now, you know, I have a lot of sandbags still in front of my door and my back patio, you know, just not wanting to go through the thing again," Hill said.
Hill said she has noticed the city's preparation efforts in her neighborhood.
"I've seen the city out here about 3 weeks ago. They were checking the storm drains and the channels, making sure there wasn't any debris in there or anything like that," Hill said.
Officials are urging residents to have emergency plans in place ahead of the storm season.
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