Latest Kern County, California and US & world news from 23ABC in Bakersfield, Calif.
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00:00 I'm here on Caliente Creek Road,
00:02 just off of Highway 58,
00:04 where the road has been completely
00:06 washed out and shut down due
00:08 to Tropical Storm Hillary.
00:09 It was the scariest moment ever.
00:16 Michelle Paul lives in Caliente,
00:18 just west of Tehachapi.
00:19 She and a friend were on the road
00:21 Sunday night when a flash flood
00:23 hit and stranded them in their truck.
00:24 Until Kern County Fire could
00:27 come Monday and evacuate them.
00:30 My friend and I walked the
00:32 canyon to my house so I could
00:34 get home to my animals. Paul
00:36 says due to the flooding,
00:37 residents in Caliente and Twin Oaks
00:39 are unable to take main roads out of
00:41 the canyon due to spotty Internet
00:43 and cell service. Her only way
00:45 to share information is through
00:46 occasional posts and messages
00:47 like this one she sent us.
00:49 I work at Costco in Bakersfield
00:51 and I have not been able to get
00:53 to work since the storm hit a
00:55 bunch of guys from the Fire
00:56 Department walked the canyon this
00:58 morning stopping to see how we who
01:00 live here were doing and if we
01:02 needed anything due to the road
01:04 closure in place for Cal Creek Road.
01:06 Some residents looking to get home
01:07 are braving the back roads,
01:09 hoping to find a way around.
01:10 This is called the Lions Trail
01:12 that goes up and over the mountain
01:14 and then down into Walker
01:16 Basin around to Twin Oaks.
01:17 Kern County Public Works attempting
01:19 to make the flooded area somewhat
01:21 passable for vehicles with four
01:23 wheel drive by adding dirt to the
01:25 washed away road. In fact,
01:26 they said that while they were filling it,
01:29 a rancher who owns property behind us.
01:31 Was finally able to go and check on his
01:33 property due to some of the work that they did.
01:36 Paul saying she's concerned about
01:40 lost wages due to being unable to
01:42 get to work and waiting for updates
01:44 on when they can get back on the roads.
01:47 I hope it's soon.
01:48 And at this time it's still unclear
01:52 when Caliente Creek Road will be
01:54 For 23 ABC News, I'm Veronica Morley connecting you.