IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. — South Bay communities are dealing with the nasty aftermath of this week's storm after massive amounts of sewage and trash flooded the Tijuana River Valley at unprecedented levels.
The storm sent more than 14.5 billion gallons of untreated raw sewage into California from Mexico, levels officials say have never been seen before.
“It is massive, it’s unlike anything we’ve ever seen. It’s a sea of trash," said Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre.
Acres of plastic bottles, containers, tires, and sewage are currently sitting in the Tijuana River Valley. All of it will eventually end up in our ocean, leaving those who live near by feeling the impact.
“I’m more frustrated than ever when we found out it goes into the air, it's not just in the water," said resident, Leticia Miranda.
“We know that the public health aspect of this crisis it’s what’s most concerning out of everything we’re seeing," said Aguirre. “I’ve never seen it flooded the way the Tijuana river valley is flooded right now or the amount of trash or sewage that ahs come across the border.”
The sewage has plagued South Bay communities like Imperial Beach, which has seen never-ending beach closures. Mayor Aguirre says the crisis is at a critical level.
“This a public health ticking time bomb. It affects us tremendously economically; it also effects our environment," she said.
Aguirre says she’s disappointed with the lack of help from the state of California and the federal government.
“There’s nowhere else in this country where we see billions of gallons of sewage permeating our air and our water. We should treat this as if our very children were living here in this area," the mayor said.
Aguirre is heading to the nation’s capital next week, where she’ll lead a bipartisan delegation and meet with key house officials to request additional funding and a state of emergency declaration.
WATCH RELATED: The Salvation Army opens donation drive after Monday's flash flood