Fresno residents faced flooded streets, power outages, and potholes caused by storm

Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Storm causes Fresno residents to face flooded streets, power outages, and potholes
Early Tuesday morning and into the midday hours residents faced potholes, flooding, and power outages.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Everything calmed down as drivers got ready for the drive home, but early Tuesday morning and into the midday hours they faced potholes, flooding, and power outages.

Standing water on city streets is helping to create a number of potholes but the rain it making it difficult for city crews to fix them. "If it is a big pothole we can fill it. It is just a matter of if the actual material stays because everything is wet. Because the material has to stick to what is existing," said Zach Plagenza, City of Fresno.

The intersection of Shaw and Polk in Northwest Fresno is no stranger to flooding. Crews started pumping water here by mid-morning but several crews are working around the clock to get the water off the streets across the city. "That is their job-- to make sure that none of them are cycling and if they do we have to actually get a portable pump out," said Plagenza.

The biggest flood that kept crews busy Tuesday morning was at Princeton and Valentine in West Central Fresno. Several cars drove through the flooded intersection pushing water into a nearby mobile home park.

Near First and Shaw in Northeast Fresno, a power outage forced one tax prepare business to send customers away. "She's my client. She comes from Sacramento and she needed to go back. And now she just has to be somewhere waiting," said Minerva Vallejos, tax preparer.

The City of Fresno upgraded several pumping stations during the dry summer months and Action News was told everything is running smooth so far.