Cleanup, recovery efforts ongoing in North Shore following Storm Rachel

NORTH SHORE, Calif. (KESQ) - Cleanup and recovery efforts were ongoing today by Riverside County agencies and disaster-response partners in the community of North Shore, impacted by Tropical Storm Rachel.   

"Our recovery efforts continue every day, both on our roads and directly at the homes of residents who were impacted by this storm,'' Riverside County Supervisor Manuel Perez said in a statement.

The storm, which occurred Oct. 11-12, damaged roughly 15 to 20 miles of county roadways, with preliminary damage estimated at $4 million to $5 million across the affected area.

Disaster response and recovery humanitarian organization Team Rubicon assisted North Shore residents at four properties to remove mud, damaged household items and other debris this week.  

"It was excellent. They were very generous, did an excellent job and were kind, quick and organized. They communicated very well with me, letting me know step by step what they were going to do and why they were doing it. I'm happy with their service. I felt I could trust them. They did a great job,'' a North Shore resident said.   

Kelly Saldarriaga, Team Rubicon operations associate for Southern California, said of aiding in the recovery effort, "Team Rubicon responds to disasters in communities across the country because of our Greyshirt volunteers, who all felt grateful to serve the communities of Mecca and North Shore."

Riverside County Emergency Management Department responded to North Shore and Mecca areas on Oct. 10 following the heavy rainfall and mudflows caused by the storm.  A shelter-in-place order was issued by the agency in coordination with Riverside County Fire Department, to keep residents safe.

An initial assessment identified 14 properties with reported water or mud intrusion in living rooms, garages and carports. An unspecified number of vehicles were affected by the storm either stuck in mud or covered in debris.   

To help residents clear mud and debris from their homes, EMD has coordinated with TODEC, the Diocese of San Bernardino, American Red Cross, Team Rubicon and Riverside County Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters.   

All roadways are passable to vehicles except Box Canyon Road, which will remain closed until further notice.   

Perez said county crews began sweeping operations this week and construction teams are scheduled to asses roadway damage next week to identify necessary repairs.   

"I am grateful to Team Rubicon for stepping in and doing the difficult, hands-on work to help our families clean our their homes and to our Transportation Department crews who continue working throughout the area to clear our roads and assess the repairs that are still needed. We have made significant progress, but we know there is more work ahead,'' Perez said.  

Additionally, Calfresh households who lost food following Topical Storm Rachel have until Oct. 30 to report their losses and request replacement benefits. Calfresh recipients can report food loss online at benefitscal.com, or by calling 877-410-8827.

Residents were encouraged to report storm-related damage by calling 211 or going to rivcoready.org/storms.