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North County soaked by rain, causing floods, closures and infrastructure damage

San Diegans may encounter problems on their evening commute because of the most recent winter storm.

SAN DIEGO — Poor weather conditions have led to multiple road closures, sinkholes and infrastructure damage across Southern California on Wednesday.

That includes State Route 78, which will likely impact the evening commute of many San Diegans because of closures in both directions.

"We have a culvert that failed, that we have an emergency contract to correct," said Shawn Rizzutto, an engineer with Caltrans. "We have about 12 inches of depression that we’re going to need to repave back and we’re going to go in and replace the culvert."

When CBS 8 last spoke to crews on the ground, they said the right two westbound lanes just east of El Camino Real remain closed, while going eastbound only the right lane is still closed.

However, Caltrans now says that all westbound lanes of SR-78 between College Boulevard and El Camino Real indefinitely for emergency sinkhole repair work. Eastbound lanes will then be closed once the westbound work is completed. 

Rizzutto says outdated infrastructure and recent rain led to the failure.

"This additional rain has caused additional undermining of the roadways," Rizzutto added.

Meanwhile, constant rainfall has caused flooded streets across San Diego County. That includes Bonsall, where at least one car got stuck in several feet of water.

CBS 8 spoke to one longtime resident, Robert DeJong, who says the flooding is some of the worst he has seen in a long time. DeJong added that the water rises quickly, catching drivers off guard.

"You can't see where the road is and what happens with these folks they loose track of the center of the road and go off on the shoulder and they get in four to five to six feet of water," DeJong said.

A combination of heavy rain and gusty rains also caused a landslide in San Clemente, forcing the evacuation of three apartment buildings. Crews are still monitoring other buildings as the bluff continues to move.

Caltrans says they have sent crews out on rain patrol. Their goal is to fill potholes, remove down trees and address flooded areas.

As this weather continues, Caltrans is asking drivers to slow down and report any issues they notice.

To submit a service request through Caltrans, click here or call the public information office at 610-688-6670.

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