Day After Flooding: Road to recovery begins in Woodlake and Exeter

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Crews in Woodlake spent Saturday morning pumping out water from a flooded residential area.

The community off of Cajon and Cypress Avenue has been underwater since early Friday morning after water run-off from Antelope Creek spilled into the roadways.

Jorge Lemus lives in an elevated home that was one inch away from getting water in it.

He was awake around five in the morning when the water started rushing onto the road.

"I feel a little sad because they were rescuing kids, they were half asleep and they were rescuing them on the boats," Lemus says.

Jorge bought his house about two years ago flood insurance was mandatory at the time.

Jorge is now waiting to find out if the water that seeped underneath his home caused any damage.

"We hope they help us in this loss because there are cars that are completely ruined," Lemus said.

A few miles down the road on Ave 220 and Highway 198, orchards and homes are damaged because water overflowed from Yokohl Creek.

Milo Gorden has been farming for over 30 years.

20 acres he just planted on are completely wiped away.

"Depressing, devastating we put a lot of money into it and now it's all gone. I don't know, I don't know it's depressing," Gorden says.

The damage is extensive and could cost thousands of dollars.

"It hurts it hurts I don't know if we have insurance to cover natural disasters like this," Gorden says.

The next step for those impacted by the floodwaters is to assess the damage once they return home.