‘There's a Lot of Pain': Sadness, Anger as Pajaro Residents Return Following Flooding

The Monterey County farming community of Pajaro reopened Thursday for the first time since being flooded following a levee break.

The return was heartbreaking for many, knowing all of their possessions were gone. There was also growing anger among residents who said they feel abandoned by those who are supposed to help.

"There’s a lot of pain in this community, a lot of suffering," Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo said.

The Pajaro River flowed into the town when the local levee broke on March 10. First responders had to rescue some residents from the floodwaters, many leaving with only the clothes on their backs.

On Thursday, a line of cars waited to get back into town after the evacuation order was lifted. Residents came back to mud-filled homes and useless cars.

Flood victims lined up to get cleaning supplies, first aid kits and bottled water, all from the Red Cross and Monterey County. The sewage system isn't working and families were told not to drink the tap water.

There isn't a one-stop center where people can apply for state and federal help. Those agencies have yet to put boots on the ground.

Fighting back tears, Margarita Rosas said they feel abandoned, perhaps because they're a poor, brown, farmworking community.

"I'm asking our state and federal government, don’t leave this community behind," Alejo said.

Alejo said he's on the phone daily trying to get that help.

FEMA has said it's waiting for the state to make the formal request. The state said it's still assessing.

Alejo went so far as to suggest that if this was wine country or any other affluent community, that state and federal help would have already arrived.

"I think for poor, farmworker communities, Latino communities like Pajaro, they want the same respect, the same attention, the same focus from our state and federal agencies," he said.

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services issued the following statement:

The Administration is working to maximize federal aid to storm-impacted communities.

Currently state and county officials conduct preliminary damage assessments and tally totals for financial losses to determine if California meets the criteria for a Major Disaster Declaration from the federal government. Local and state partners are working rapidly to conduct these assessments so that federal aid can be requested as soon as the required thresholds are met. For more information on federal disasters requirements would recommend you connect directly with FEMA.

As you will likely recall, earlier this year, California secured a Major Disaster Declaration in response to severe storms that began in late December.