During the early month of February, an unexpected amount of rain led to major flooding around San Diego due to clogged storm drains around neighborhoods and highways. The floods caused a great number of habitants, even Preuss students, to leave their flooded houses for their own safety.
Josue Gonzalez’s (‘26) house was very flooded. “I had to sleep at a family member’s house, because there was water inside my house, but now I am living in a temporary apartment, paid by the government, ” he mentions. “I was very worried about the situation at the beginning; some of my thoughts were, what if we have to move? or will insurance cover everything? I am just thankful we obtained financial help.
Another big problem students faced was access to transportation to school. The main source of students’ transportations is the trolley, which didn’t function due to the floods, causing many students to not be able to attend school.
“I wasn’t a victim of flooding in my house, but since the trolley didn’t work, I did have some difficulties getting to school,” Angeline Gomez (‘24) comments. My mom and sister could take me to school, but many streets were closed, making it hard to get to and from school.”
On the other hand, Gabriel Betacourt (‘24) mentioned that he didn’t face any problems attending school, since he does not rely on the trolley for transportation. “I myself didn’t suffer from the floods, but watching the news made me more aware of my surroundings and what my peers were going through. I think they should’ve canceled school, at least while the situation settled.”
The unexpected wave of rain caused floods during the last days of January, which not only affected the housing and transportation of residents, but also caused “millions of dollars in property damages,” according to the County of San Diego. A couple of local agencies have provided housing in hotels for affected families and individuals. Although there are a couple of organizations that help residents, many small businesses and organizations are suffering economically.
Kathleen Loiza (‘25) believes that the government should help affected residents, whether they’re students, business owners, or workers because it’s the government’s duty to take care and assure the safety of its citizens. “My family and I didn’t suffer economically from the floods, but it’s heartbreaking hearing stories in news articles or even on T. I believe that the government should help them out and we as a community should too,” she claims.
Throughout San Diego, residents from different neighborhoods have had different experiences with the 2024 floods, but it’s important to help others and be safe while doing so.
