Ventura County rain to intensify during brunt of storm; evacuation orders and warnings issued
VENTURA (KABC) -- Some residents in Ventura County received evacuation orders or warnings that they could be forced to leave their homes as the region braces for a winter storm that's expected to bring heavy downpours.
The evacuation orders went into effect at 9 a.m. Saturday. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for residents in the unincorporated Ojai area, including Matilija Canyon, North Fork and Camino Cielo.
Evacuation warnings were issued for the following areas:
- Ventura RV Resort
- Community of Foster Park/Camp Chaffee
- Old Creek Road
- Structures on Grada Avenue and Truelo Avenue in unincorporated Camarillo
Rain is forecasted to begin Saturday afternoon and will intensify through Sunday morning. Prolonged periods of moderate to heavy rain is expected for most of the county. Officials say the amount of rain can result in landslides or debris flows.
An apartment complex building in Ventura had a wall of sandbags after major flooding last year left the area submerged in several feet of water.
"It can get really bad," said Ventura resident Tallulah Fisk.
There were even more sandbags at Ventura Surf Shop. Last week's storm left the business' parking lot coated in mud.
"We already had a buildup of water at about 2 feet," Robert Hubina told Eyewitness News Saturday. "We prepared, got sandbags, that kind of stuff. I want to work the next couple of days but we're shutting down because we know it's going to flood."
An emergency evacuation shelter was established at the Ventura College Gymnasium at 4677 Telegraph Road.
This comes after evacuation warnings were issued for parts of Santa Barbara County.
