Much of Southern California made it through Tropical Storm Hilary without much damage but our desert and mountain communities suffered incredible loss.
Homes and cars were destroyed, and loved ones are still unaccounted for.
Nicole Celeste-Fay hiked through the affected areas of her hometown in Seven Oaks, a small community in the San Bernardino mountains.
“Even though we were there, and we saw it with our own eyes, we walked on it, we touched it, it’s still not real. It still feels like a dream.” Celeste-Fay said.
Her mother-in-law, Sandy Drolet, was one of 30 people stranded on a riverbank after the main bridge was wiped out. She was airlifted to safety.
In Angelus Oaks, 74-year-old Christie Rockwood was inside her home when it was overwhelmed by river water and swept away.
Rockwood’s daughter, Tracey Monteverde, says she’s grateful for the crews who continue to search for her mom, but she fears the worst may have happened.
“But each day that goes by, it does get harder. You know like the reality sets in and the more pictures and videos of the area and how big the debris field is,” Monteverde said.
San Bernardino County will be opening a local assistance center for storm victims on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. More information can be found at this link.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)