Wet weather causes hundreds of flight delays at SFO, car slides down hillside
SAN FRANCISCO - Strong winds and heavy rain caused hundreds of delays at San Francisco International Airport Wednesday, and two people were rescued after their car slid down a San Francisco hillside.
By the evening, most flights were on time, but earlier in the day over 400 hundred flights were delayed. The San Francisco Fire Department is also asking people to take precautions in this wet weather.
"When it’s windy and rainy we always need to remember to slow down. The roads are slick," said Capt. Justin Schorr, with the San Francisco Fire Department Rescue team.
On Wednesday around 2:45 p.m., the SFFD said it received a call about a four-door sedan sliding over a cliff on O’Shaughnessy Boulevard. After arriving on the scene, the rescue team said it lifted two people up the hill to safety in about 30 minutes. The victims suffered only minor injuries.
"Two victims were found inside the vehicle. According to the driver, the wheels hit the curb. They rolled once, and they slid almost 150 feet down the embankment," said Schorr.
Meanwhile, 465 flights were delayed and six were canceled at San Francisco International Airport. At 8 a.m. on Wednesday, the FAA issued a ‘ground delay’ order due to low-hanging clouds. One passenger headed to the East Coast says flying in inclement weather requires preparation and patience.
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It was a soggy wet day in the Bay Area, but that didn’t bother everyone in the Bay Area. Some were more prepared than others.
"There’s anxiety and uncertainty, so we leave early in the morning and fly late at night, and you pray for the best," said Kamini, of Houston.
Another passenger heading to Australia, says he tracked the weather and flight patterns throughout the day before heading to SFO.
"I like to play it safe. So, I go at least like four to five hours early because you never know about traffic. Or if it’s the holidays, there may be a ton of people here or something," said Hayden Greiger of Sacramento.
The ground delay at SFO was lifted sometime after 8 p.m. on Wednesday.
There’s also another storm headed towards the Bay Area. Schorr says if you find yourself in an accident on the road, use your cell phone to call for help if you can, check for injuries and only leave the vehicle if it’s safe to do so.