Planada residents look back, one year after a devastating flood. ‘I lost everything. I had to start from zero’

Although many of the memories Planada residents have from last year’s storm are of desperation, there are also stories of hope

Ray Sardina was one of many Planada residents whose homes were flooded last January. Today, he shares the home with another renter while living without basic necessities, such as a sink to wash his dishes or a fully operational bathroom. Photo by Christian De Jesus Betancourt/CVJC

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By CHRISTIAN DE JESUS BETANCOURT 

christian@cvlocaljournalism.org

One year ago, longtime Planada resident Fabiola Cervantes watched as rising flood waters overtook her childhood home.

Working remotely on what she thought would be an average day, the 53-year-old Planada native initially noticed water pooling outside her residence. But as the rains continued, the situation rapidly deteriorated. 

Read the full story on CVJC’s new website, The Merced FOCUS. It’s free