WILTON, Calif. — Residents in the Sacramento County community of Wilton — just east of Elk Grove — are under a shelter-in-place order as rising flood water has made the roads too dangerous for evacuations, Saturday.
The Wackford Community Center in Elk Grove opened as an emergency shelter for flood evacuees and a handful of people are still sheltering-in-place at home.
Dillard Road, just off Highway 99, is one of the main roads through Wilton and surrounding areas. It was absolutely consumed by flood water after a storm wrecked Northern California Saturday.
Some people decided to stay in their homes or try to find their loved ones in theirs.
“My niece lives back in there, and her house is getting flooded. It’s not flooded yet, but I want to try to get back in there to her before it does take on water,” said Eddie Dingler. “[I’m] frustrated. I mean, very frustrated. I can’t even get back and, you know, get my loved out of there, out of this situation.”
He eventually did successfully connect with his niece after wading through dangerous conditions as rain continued to come down.
Another woman says she waited anxiously in her Elk Grove home for her father to return back from delivering groceries in the area. She says his car got stuck and he wasn’t able to get back home.
“He was trying to deliver groceries to the household, and then – unfortunately – his car was stuck in the middle of the water, so, like, he could not get out,” she said. “[I’m feeling] frustrated and worried.”
She too was eventually able to reconnect with her father, safely.
Around 6:45 p.m. California Highway Patrol closed Dillard Road at Highway 99 a few hours after issuing a shelter-in-place order for residents.
A flash flood warning was issued by National Weather Service Sacramento near Wilton in Sacramento County until Jan. 1, 2023. NWS Sacramento says "the levees near Wilton Rd. and bridge on the Cosumnes River Near Wilton are in a state of imminent failure causing flash flooding of immediately surrounding areas."
The Wackford Community Center at 9014 Bruceville Road in Elk Grove will remain open all night for flood evacuees.
"We do have the ability to house many. And so, if they show up, we are ready for them. We have kennels for small pets,” said Jamie Hudson, Elk Grove Emergency Manager.
