Powerful storm floods streets, closes schools

The most powerful storm to hit San Diego County this season battered the region from the morning Thursday, Feb. 14, through the evening Friday, Feb. 15, wreaking havoc on area roads and drenching the area with more than 4 to 5 inches of rain.

According to the National Weather Service, Rainbow led the area with 6.28 inches of rain with De Luz registering 5.61 inches. Fallbrook got 5.28 inches and Bonsall an even 4 inches in just over 24 hours.

The NWS initially issued a flash flood watch through Thursday morning but extended that watch until the 6 p.m. that evening.

In the early morning Thursday, trees were reported down all over Fallbrook and Bonsall, and homes reported flooding near Vallecitos Elementary School in Rainbow.

Early Thursday morning, three firefighters had to be sent to the hospital, when Deer Springs Fire Department Engine 11, was discovered its side in the ditch at North Old Highway 395 and Camino Del Rey. The firefighters were later released with minor injuries.

The rain forced the closure Vallecitos Elementary School and Fallbrook Union High School District schools – Fallbrook, Ivy and Oasis – were dismissed at noon Thursday.

The district announced that because of the Presidents Day holidays, students wouldn’t return until Tuesday.

Bonsall Unified School District schools remained on normal early dismissal time, as did all Fallbrook Unified Elementary School District schools. Those school districts were already scheduled to be closed Friday.

“Due to the intense storm – which has led to power outages, flooding, road closures and dangerous travel conditions – schools in the following districts will be closed tomorrow, Feb. 15,” according to a statement made by the San Diego County Department of Education.

There were reports of horses being stranded and in need of evacuation in Bonsall, small mudslides were reported and travel from Fallbrook to De Luz was halted with road closures due to flooded roadways.

A video shared with the Village News by resident Chad Lansberry showed the amount of water flowing through the Santa Margarita River causing closed roads throughout the area. To see the video, visit https://youtu.be/NxJA-im5rUE.

In all, more than a dozen roads were closed for various periods of time in the Fallbrook, Bonsall, De Luz and Pala area during the storm.

City News Service contributed to this report.

Jeff Pack can be reached at [email protected].