‘We’re not out of the woods yet’: SLO County responding to 3 major storm incidents
San Luis Obispo County officials provided a short update Thursday about major storm damage while warning that approaching rains could exacerbate existing infrastructure challenges.
The storm earlier this week soaked soil and damaged roads, leaving infrastructure fragile and the environment vulnerable to further water damage, Scotty Jalbert, San Luis Obispo County Emergency Services manager said.
Though the storm system anticipated this weekend is supposed to be weaker than the rains seen Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, Jalbert said he expects it will bring some new problems for SLO County.
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” San Luis Obispo County Administrator Wade Horton said at Thursday’s news conference.
“We haven’t been through something like this in a long time,” he said. “We’re gonna get through this one. I personally want to express my sincere condolences to those that have lost their homes, especially to those that have lost loved ones. All the rest can be replaced.”
Horton implored residents to heed road closure signs, noting that while conditions may seem passable, the closures are in place for a reason. In some locations, erosion below the roadbed has some spots in danger of collapsing.
SLO County outlines ongoing incidents from winter storm
Jalbert said there are three key incidents that SLO County Emergency Services and Public Works is focused on.
At Lake Nacimiento, roughly 100 residents have been cut off by the closure of the damaged Chimney Rock Road in Paso Robles, Jalbert said.
Public Works installed concrete barriers on the east side of Chimney Rock Road around 10 a.m. Thursday to prevent people from driving around road closure signs, he said.
The road degraded to the point that it could collapse, threatening the lives of anyone who attempts to cross, according to a Twitter post from San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services.
Around 11 a.m., the county sent out boats to transport any residents who are isolated and wish to leave the area, according to a Twitter post by San Luis Obispo County.
Meanwhile, the search for Kyle Doan, the kindergartner who was swept away by floodwaters Monday morning, continues in San Miguel, Jalbert said.
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, the National Guard and law enforcement from nearby Ventura and Santa Barbara counties are among the agencies aiding in the search for Doan, which is focused on the San Marcos Creek area. A sonar team from Sacramento is also at the site.
More than 100 National Guard personnel arrived on Wednesday with more slated to join the effort on Thursday.
“This is still an active search. We still hold out hope for Kyle and the family. It doesn’t become a recovery mission until … it does.” SLO County Sheriff’s Office public information officer Tony Cipolla said in a text message to The Tribune.
The Sheriff’s Office said the search would continue throughout the day Thursday and Friday as warranted.
“We thank our mutual aid partners for helping us with the search while having to deal with rain related incidents in their own counties,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Thursday.
And in the South County, the evacuation warning for the Arroyo Grande Creek Levee and Oceano Lagoon area has been extended, meaning residents should be prepared to leave their homes at any time, Jalbert said.
Jalbert warned residents to avoid creeks, streams and river areas and to heed road closure signs.
He reminded residents that, even if you can’t see the damage straight ahead of you on the road, it does not mean that the surrounding infrastructure supporting the road is stable.
“Turn around and don’t drown,” Jalbert said.
This story was originally published January 12, 2023 at 12:49 PM.
