“Please stay off the roadways for the next several hours. Significant flooding issues across Oxnard and [Port Hueneme]. Vehicles are getting stuck in the roadways,” said a Thursday X post from the Oxnard Fire Department in California.
Flash flood warnings were issued for other towns in the region Thursday – including Santa Barbara, Goleta and Isla Vista – according to the National Weather Service Los Angeles. It shared videos and photos of cars surrounded by water in the area.
In Oxnard, the flooded streets were making it difficult for the fire department to access emergency calls, per an X account called VCScanner. That account also said there were reports of people caught in the flood waters.
FEMA provides the following advice regarding vehicles and floodwater:
· People in vehicles should not attempt to cross floodwaters
· People in vehicles already trapped in rapidly moving water should attempt to stay in their vehicles
· People in vehicles surrounded by water moving at a high velocity and is rising inside the vehicle should exit the vehicle immediately and seek refuge on the roof while signaling for help
· People should immediately exit vehicles that are stalling (if possible) and move to higher ground
“The depth of the water is not always obvious,” said FEMA. “Moving water has tremendous power. Six inches of moving water has the potential to knock you off your feet, and a foot of water can sweep a vehicle – even a large SUV – off of the road. Visit the National Weather Service (NWS) Turn Around Don’t Drown program at tadd.weather.gov.”
Oxnard police announced Thursday that free sand and sandbags were being made available to residents as the flood risk continued. As of 10 a.m. PT, the majority of the roads in the town has reopened, but additional rain was being forecasted and street sweeping was canceled.
“As the wet road conditions are expected to continue through Friday, we ask that our community please drive extra carefully,” said the Oxnard Police Department. “It is always important to treat traffic safety as a high priority every day, but we ask that all drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians use extra caution in the rain. Slow down – high speeds increase the all-around danger of driving in rain. Traffic safety is everyone’s responsibility. Please take the extra time to be careful and stay safe.”
According to VC Emergency in Ventura County, Sheriffs Emergency services and other agencies continue to track the progress of the storm. It said that three inches of rain fell on the region overnight and that a flood advisory is in affect through at least 4 p.m. Thursday.