Residents of Menlo Park were awakened this morning, not by the anticipation of holiday cheer, but by the stark reality of rising floodwaters. As reported by KTVU, streets in a neighborhood near the Meta campus, specifically the 1300 block of Hamilton Avenue between Willow Road and Henderson Avenue, as well as Carlton Avenue, were submerged. Menlo Park police imposed a shelter in place alert, and traffic in the swollen area was promptly restricted.
Authorities, racing against the flooding, knocked on the doors of about 20 homes, urging residents to stay safe within their dwellings. According to the same report by KTVU, cars parked on the streets soon found themselves trapped beneath the rising tides, with emergency crews dispatched and positioned outside nearby shops. One driver, though stranded momentarily, managed to escape his car and seek safety on higher ground.
KTVU's coverage detailed that fire officials traced the cause of the flooding to a backed-up drainage system. Subsequent to their initial response, the public works department brought pumps to the site to alleviate the neighborhood's waterlogged plight. "This is the worst I've ever seen it," Luis Ibara, a 25-year resident of the area, told KTVU.
The flooding has prompted a stern warning from Menlo Park police to the public: do not drive around barricades or into flooded streets. In an article by the PA Daily Post, residents were instructed to monitor the situation closely and reserve 911 calls for life-threatening emergencies or if they require assistance evacuating. The PA Daily Post also reported that updates from the authorities would be posted online as the flood's conditions evolved.
