SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - The aftermath of a strong fall storm caused chaos around San Diego County Friday.
Emergency crews were busy overnight all across the county, from major damage around homes and businesses, to flash flooding and frightening situations for drivers and homeowners.
San Diego’s Lifeguard River Rescue team had to save a woman from flood waters. Her car stalled right in the middle of Camino De La Reina near State Route 163. She got out of her car and walked away, she later returned to try to drive her car out, but it wouldn’t start. Then, a flash flood began right around her so she called for help.
Several locations across San Diego were flooded, including the first floor of a parking garage at Fashion Valley Mall where the water rose quickly.
An apartment complex off Delta Street in Mountain View was taken over by muddy water, the rain poured into living rooms and kitchens. Some yards on Delta Street were covered in six to seven feet of water.
More than 300 homeless people remain at SDCCU stadium Friday morning after heavy rain and flooding prompted evacuations from a tented shelter in the East Village, authorities said.
The evacuations began around 9:30 p.m. Thursday because of flooding at the bridge shelter run by the Alpha Project at South 16th Street and Newton Avenue, according to San Diego police.
The Alpha Project's 324 clients -- the shelter was at capacity Thursday -- were transported via Metropolitan Transit System buses to a temporary shelter at SDCCU stadium in Mission Valley.
A flash flood warning expired at 8:30 p.m. Thursday and downtown San Diego received 2.27 inches of rain between 8 p.m. Tuesday and 8 p.m. Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
The heavy rain brought flooding that caused damage to the bridge shelter as well as the bathroom facilities in the structure, city spokesman Jose Ysea said.
"(The flooding) caused sewage to seep and because of that we wanted to make sure the people being brought (to SDCCU stadium) would have an opportunity to clean up," Ysea said.
Related: Fall storm brings flooding, thunder and lightning to San Diego
A decontamination area was set up and the American Red Cross was called in to provide sanitary clothing, cots, blankets and other health services to the shelter residents, who were housed on two club levels of the stadium, Ysea said.
Shelter officials will assess the damage to the East Village bridge shelter Friday morning once the water has subsided, he said.
It was not immediately clear how long the emergency shelter would remain in place at SDCCU stadium.
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