Russian River flooding, 1986

perhaps the hardest hit place in all of California tonight is the town of Greenville next to the Russian River in Sonoma County. Granville is still cut off from the world completely surrounded by floodwaters and today people had to be evacuated by National Guard helicopters, evacuations that

continued right through into the evening but failed to get everybody out. Our reporter George Watson and cameraman Don Mukwege where the pool camera crew today. The only crew allowed into Greenville today. In fact there there tonight, they're stranded. George filed this report by telephone. We were

hoping to take off before the next series of storms battered the Russian river in general and Granville in particular are time to get in. Was critical. The National Guard will fly as long as there is light even if it's raining but they cannot fly in the

fog and around here, fog is as certain as night. Following day after a 20 minute flight, we touched down in the landing zone cemetery on high ground above ville. Perhaps 100 and 50 people are waiting to be flown out another 100 or so preceded them. Hundreds

more are still waiting to leave for good reason. Well, I lost my car on friday and uh I couldn't get back home back home today and the water is like four ft up and getting higher. So I came by boat and then track and then they

trucked us up the hill here and I'll go out by helicopter is quite experienced for we older people. It didn't get too bad until last night and I had to get out. What was it like at the church, a lot of people, there's a couple of

cots in there, but no blankets. They did have water and there was canned foods but they weren't opening them. It was very uncomfortable because it was hard to sleep on the benches staging area. And the evacuation is in a church about a half mile downhill from

the cemetery. Stream of evacuees is constant in the church. It's like a battle zone. People are hungry and cold and some have been hurt. Food is scarce and water is an even greater concern. But the job is getting done. They're just coming from all over and

now we're shipping them out and we're just amazed because the church keeps filling up again since you came in on the last flight. So we have some stuff on paper blankets were low on blankets. So definitely by late afternoon the National Guard airlifted in some water.

It was dicey operation is a huge edge down to a narrow street but they made it on the ground. They were guided down by a Vietnam vet who hadn't done this sort of thing for almost 20 years. Say what can I do, what can I do

to help? Whatever. And I told about my experience in Vietnam and the Navy carrier work and I directed the planes. Suddenly I found myself being a smoky at the interchange, directing traffic for helicopters, trucks and babies and the main concern at this moment is to get

the injured out, they have been struggling and in some cases struggling in throughout the late afternoon. The first report we received was that there were about 450 people waiting to be evacuated. Probably 250 were flown out during the day while we were here. However, people kept

straggling in out of the mountains throughout the day. So it is virtually impossible to tell just how many people were actually flown out today by nightfall. Another 100 or so people remained behind. The lucky ones got out today tomorrow the others will fly out, wait for

the river to go down and then come back to salvage what's left of their homes and their lives In Greenville. I'm George Watson, KTV, You Channel two News. Well we have George Watson standing by live on the telephone right now in George, what's happened there since

you filed that particular report filed that report around six o'clock this afternoon And since that time it started raining again very, very heavily. But ironically the river began to recede and it's gone back probably about three ft. Which puts it at roughly 47 ft. And even

that is the highest it's ever been prior to the storm. It reached 49 ft during the storm and that's an all time record. However, it is not raining now. I haven't had access to a radio where I can hear about the weather report. So I don't

really know what kind of a low we're in right now. But flying in this afternoon you could see the destruction throughout the entire, the entire countryside. This is the first time I had a chance to look at just how big this flood was. There was some

um there were a few logistical problems. I think they were going to try to start evacuating people out around daybreak. They didn't get the first group out, only about half a dozen until about 11 30 in the morning and then groups of 20 and 25 began

to be funneled out throughout the rest of the day. Now the last count we have and I did not have it. When I filed this report was 478 people were filed and were evacuated out of Greenville into Sonoma County Airport where they will be transported to

Veterans Hall in santa rosa. And you're going to be there for the night definitely. We will be here for the night also about 250 to 300 people still here. They have to be evacuated. Okay? George you keep us posted. Thank you very much and take care

of yourself. Tonight. After a record rampage, the Russian river is finally going down tonight. The worst flooding ever to hit the resort community of Greenville seems to have done its worst tonight. That town is nearly empty After a dramatic two day air rescue of those trapped

by the swollen river. Our reporter George Watson and cameraman Don McQuade were also trapped in Greenville overnight. They filed this report today on the evacuation and the devastation. Yesterday, 478 people were airlifted out of flood strangled Granville despite the impressive numbers. It was still a day

of drenched disappointment. Hundreds who waited in the rain for hours but never got out today was a different story. Instead of waiting in yesterday's soggy cemetery, there were bust a mile out of town to the county yard, helicopters came in and out like clockwork. The precision

operation began at daybreak. The busses arrived at the church which had been home to the homeless for the past three days. People were patient as they waited for their bus assignment. It was probably nice to know who was leaving and when listen up, I'm gonna call

your name. Rebecca would be nice to say the ordeal is over that they're going home, but these people still must go to a holding center and wait until the danger is truly passed. This is what they're leaving behind. Main Street is miraculously clear of water. Roads

in and out of town are still blocked not only by water but by ruined houses as well off main. The narrow streets are still flooded. They don't compare to what we saw yesterday In less than 24 hours. The river has dramatically dropped more than 7ft workmen

were starting to salvage lumber from the ruin of the flood. People were coming back for the first time in days. We're gonna stick around. We lucked out and found a place up on the hill and we're driving. Now. I've got some hot coffee so we're gonna

stick around. It really looks like it's getting better now I think. Were you ever planning to leave or were you in a position where you were going to stick it out? We're gonna stick it out. We're in good shape. We had plenty of firewood, we have

water. I think the worst is over. No, I don't think so. Current. Are you planning on leaving our houses here? We're going to see if it's still there. After seven days of pounding rain, there has finally been a break. The river has receded to the point

where townspeople can once again begin to reclaim their town. Power is still out in most places and drinking water is out of the question for at least another week. But at least the cleanup can finally begin. And now when people talk about the great floods of

55 64 they can say they'll remember the granddaddy of them all, The great flood of 1986 in Greenville, I'm George Watson KTV, you channel two news further north. The Russian river is still above flood stage. Some residents of boonville were able to get back to their

homes today. However many hadn't been there for nearly a week since the river began its record rise. But as gary cough reports, there was little joy in today's homecoming aside from the occasional small pond, Greenville residents were back on solid ground today, but it was brown

ground, mud was everywhere. Even in second floor homes, eight or 10 ft off the ground, you walk in your house and your tables, chairs, refrigerator, everything's upside down. Just can't imagine how that water must be so powerful. I went through the 1940 flood, the 1955 1964

flood And the 82 flood and all the ones in between. But this has been the worst. This is real bad, real bad days. Residents wandered through their homes today checking the flood damage and sometimes they had to be awfully careful about where they walked my back

stairs to my back porch, next door over and they're just floated away. I can't figure it out. But they were among the lucky ones up on the second floor damage wasn't so bad, but down at ground level, this place is just tested, there's nothing left of

it. How you doing bad? My house is a disaster. There's just water up there, everything's flooded, foundation broke, the roof leaks, It's complete chaos. And this is as far as you can go in Greenville today here, the water is still a couple of feet deep for

the people who live back in these houses, it'll still be two more days before they can even go in and assess the damage across the Granville bridge where many of the Russian river resorts are. It was the same story boat still the only way to get

around back on higher ground. On main Street, merchants were well into their cleanup this afternoon. Most will be back in business in a couple of days to a week, but along Russian River road lower and closer to the river, the damage was far more serious and

in one case what nature spared thieves took. We knew what we were coming back to, but it was shocking to really see it. It's just everything's thrashed, everything is destroyed and like I said, I got looted, they took all the valuables. So it's at least it's

here. Like I said, it's still here, we can start over and most will start over. But not all I'd like to move someplace. We have continual business and no floods, you know, we dealt with the sewer this summer sewer spell and now we're dealing with this,

I don't know, I guess I'm pretty, pretty tough, but how tough can you be? You know, our people and business people in town who there's some of them, their spirits are so broken, they're just they were shutting down moving out, that's it, Goodbye. A veteran of

the Russian river, you know, but I'm tired of being a river rat on the other hand, the local motto around this town is it's hard to drown a river rat in Greenville, Gary KTV You Channel two News.