Marine Storm brings frustration, anxiety and devastation

Over the past two weeks, Marin County residents have witnessed storm damage occur at all levels. From cumbersome commutes and flooded yards to washed-out homes and sunken evacuation vessels.

From West Marin to San Pablo Bay, county residents endured daily rains for nearly two weeks straight, adding over 18 inches at the summit of Mount Tamalpais, 9.01 inches at Tiburon, 16.16 inches at Mill Valley, and 16.71 inches at San. bottom. Since Dec. 28, Anselmo has been 8.87 inches at Point Reyes National Seashore and 8 inches at Dillon Beach, according to the National Weather Service.

Pea-sized hail fell on Tuesday, bringing rain and wind with thunder and lightning. In between daily travels, Marin residents performed storm-related chores.

Susan Ross, who went looking for sandbags on Tuesday, recalled a flood in 1982 while working for United Ambulance. A torrential downpour in January submerged San Anselmo under several feet of water.

“We had a really busy day,” she said. “It was very hard in San Anselmo. In fact my family lived on Arroyo Her Ave and the creek flooded and her sister’s car was flooded at her four foot level,” she said. said.

“There was no flooding, but I was in the ambulance and the calls were going on all day,” she said, because Ross lived on higher ground in Greenbrae.

Ross, who now lives in Terra Linda, said he hasn’t seen any flooding or debris yet, but neighbors have been proactive in clearing trees.

“It’s raining pretty hard, but it’s okay for now,” she said.

Peter Rizzos needed a gas can to fuel the sump pump, and Rachel Usher needed boots.

In Fairfax, several residents of Victory Village, an apartment complex for low-income seniors, said the seemingly random days of power outages were a source of anxiety. When there is a power outage, the elevators, hot water, heating and exterior of the building are locked. Also, many people will not be able to make his 911 calls. This is because the property has poor cell phone reception and many residents use the internet to make phone calls.

“There’s no elevator, so you can’t go downstairs. I don’t think you can even try the stairs,” says Nancy Butler, who has lived in Victory Village for two years. She said she will probably have to throw out the contents of the freezer she thawed twice in the last few days thanks to the power outage.

Deanna Caddigan said the upper floors have residents who are wheelchair bound or have other mobility issues, and in an emergency, neighbors could get hurt trying to help their neighbors. said to be high.

“It’s just a mess,” Cadigan said.

More dramatically, at least two boats sank overnight, according to Jim Malcolm, Harbor Master of the Richardson Bay Regional Authority.

Malcolm said one occupied ship had sunk near Sausalito and RBRA was working to remove it, saying it “dangered navigation in the area.” Residents who were not registered owners were “removed from the anchorage without injury,” Malcolm said.

The crew had been on the boat since last summer when it was forced out of the local marina,” Malcolm said.

Another small runabout sank near Strawberry Point and was completely submerged Tuesday morning.

“We will try to get this ship out of the water when the tides and weather conditions are more favorable,” Malcolm said.

Across the county, Sergio Vergara, who runs Stinson Beach Market with his wife Susie, said he encountered a few obstacles on his daily drive from his Novato home in recent days. , in most cases it was the cause. The trip was the same as usual.

“It’s kind of hard, but take it easy. We’ve been doing this for years,” he said. “And I pray before I leave the house.”

He said the biggest danger to Sergio Vergara’s commute was fog, not the wind and rain Marin was exposed to.

“Even with the fog lights on,” he said. “You have to go one mile an hour.”