SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — In District 9, residents are rolling up their sleeves — cleaning up the neighborhood and clearing storm drains — hoping to keep the next big rain from creating an even bigger mess.
Monica Hill was one of many people impacted by the 2024 floods. While that was two years ago, the emotional scars haven't gone away.
"I still have sandbags in front of my door and my patio from two years ago," Hill said. "I get traumatized or you know I'm, I'm, I feel some type of way every time I hear it's gonna rain or El Niño, you know, it, it takes me back to 2024."
Part of working through the trauma is preparing for El Niño, which could bring unusually stormy winter weather to San Diego. Cleaning the storm drains is the top priority.
"Every piece of trash that is in there makes it more difficult for the system to do its job," Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera said. "Getting that litter out of there makes it more likely that the water will move through the channel in the way that it's supposed to."
The effort started at Wightman Street Neighborhood Park in Chollas Creek, where 44 volunteers cleaned the streets, the park and the channels Saturday.
"We wanted to make sure that this community not just hears but sees the city taking action," Elo-Rivera said.
While 678 pounds of trash was collected from the neighborhood, Hill says there's still more work to be done to make sure everyone is prepared.
"So we need everybody to step in, go check on your neighbors, go check on your senior citizens, go check on the disabled. They all needed help in 2024," Hill said.
Elo-Rivera says the plan is to help as many neighborhoods as possible clean up and prepare for an El Niño.
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