BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) – For most of us down here in the Valley, the weather hitting California might be inconvenient, but to those in the upper elevations it is a major interruption, both fascinating and dangerous.
Kernville is taking on water with the Kern River running as 10 times its typical flow for this time of year.
17 News talked to Kyle Roberts, a Wofford Heights resident who sent in some before and after video of Kernville, some images taken mid-morning, with the river already surging where it passes through Riverview Park, and other images just about 90 minutes later, with Riverview Park out of view completely.
“The whole Riverside Park, it’s raging underwater,” he said. “From the elevation of 7,000 below– all that rain melted (the snow from last week), so it’s just raging down this river. It’s definitely historical. There are bridges floating down right now. A lot of people’s personal things.”
17 News also talked to Roberta Piazza Gordon, who had water lapping at her front door and had to be evacuated to her Kernville hotel.
“At about 2 p.m. the river was running at 40,000 cubic feet per second, which is a big number,” she said. “Before the storm started we were probably in the 400 or 500 range. So now we’re looking at 40,000 – it may go up. There may be another surge. It hasn’t peaked yet. But it’s a tremendous amount of water.”
At about 5 p.m. Piazza let us know that the river may have peaked after all, as the rain relented just a bit.
As of now there’s more intrigue and excitement than terror. Kernville residents hope it stays that way as the rain continues, most likely through the night.
