Flooding, rock slides prompt closure of part of Niles Canyon Road
FREMONT (KTVU) -- Authorities closed Niles Canyon Road between Fremont and Sunol late Monday afternoon after flooding and small rock slides resulted from the soaking rains that drenched the Bay Area for much of the day.
Rising waters from Alameda Creek spilled over to the roadway, making travel treacherous for motorists. The force of the creek's rushing waters prompted many residents to visit the area to witness the event.
"We heard the warning this morning about the flood and we had to see what it was like since we live so close," said Dorene Kotake of Newark. "It’s amazing."
Dozens of people filled a parking lot along the Alameda Creek Regional Trail to snap pictures and record videos.
"It’s mesmerizing to watch the river flowing like this," said Eric Mehlhaff, a Fremont resident. "Normally in the summer time it’s barely a trickle."
MORE COVERAGE
- Bay Area storms blamed for flooding, travel delays
- Mandatory evacuations issued for Monterey County
- Storm propls flood warnings
A major nearby mudslide has kept Palomares Road closed between Niles Canyon and Castro Valley.
Alameda County authorities also shut down a stretch of Tesla Road in Livermore between Greenville and Cross Roads due to flooding.
Mitch Ibsen lives nearby and was cleaning out debris from a pipe near his home in order to keep water flowing.
"We don’t really get any flooding in this area, but we’re fully saturated right now," he said.
Residents near Niles Canyon said they were concerned by the threat the water posed but nonetheless still impressed by the deluge.
"It just seems like so much water, Mother Nature at its best," Kotake said.
The closure of Niles Canyon Road also prompted about an hour delay for ACE trains running through the area.
By KTVU reporter Cristina Rendon.