Oakhurst community trying to stay afloat amid heavy rain

OAKHURST, Calif. (KFSN) -- Hail, lightning, and thunder -- that's what the Oakhurst community experienced Tuesday.

Just 24 hours earlier, residents in the area were told to evacuate as a powerful winter storm caused major flooding.

"Torrential. Monsoon. Just never ending. It just went on and on and on. Crazy, that's all I can think of, just crazy rain," said Doni Bastiani, an Oakhurst resident.

She's lived in this community for almost a decade.

Bastiani said people who live in the Sierra Spring Village were asked to leave due to heavy rainfall, which caused flooding in the community.

The steady rainfall throughout the day left roadways covered with water.

Bastiani said the fire department stopped by her home Monday.

They asked her to leave, but the sheriff told her it wasn't mandatory.

"I'll just stay here with my dog and see what transpires," said Bastiani.

The flood water eventually receded enough for the Madera County Sheriff's Office to lift the evacuation notice, allowing residents to go back home Tuesday.

Bastiani said the power was out for about six hours and people are just getting their gas back on.

"We had many things that seem like you know maybe we need to get out of here but no this was pretty much uh a big one for us," said Bastiani.

Dr. Robert Brosi has a dental practice that sits above other businesses off of Road 426.

When he went to work on Monday, he noticed water collecting in the parking lot. It got worse.

Brosi said he's used to seeing water overflow from nearby China Creek, but water has never reached this high.

"Within three or four hours it was up. You're looking at a couple of feet," said Brosi.

The Madera County Board of Supervisors has declared a local state of emergency due to this extreme weather.