A flash flood in the northern part of Monterey County sent sudden and heavy rains to Prunedale and Aromas, affecting dozens of homes and shutting down roads, according to a spokesperson for the county.  

A flash flood warning went out Wednesday at 12:45 p.m. and ran until 1:30 p.m.  

Impacted areas included Ralph Lane, the Bolsa Knolls area, Sala Road and other adjacent roads in these communities, the county said.  

First reports indicated that between 20 and 30 homes experienced water several feet in height.  

No evacuation orders have gone out, but some people were not be able to return to their homes Wednesday night due to damage. Roads in the area are also perilous, with heavy silt and mud that is still too wet to remove but dangerous to drive.  

Many roads in the area were closed and remained closed Wednesday night, and water rescues were carried out by the North County Fire Protection District.  

An evacuation point was established at the Prunedale library and the Red Cross is helping residents impacted by the event. Damage assessments for homes in unincorporated areas of the county are currently being evaluated by county building inspectors.  

Anyone in need of assistance from the Red Cross should call its unmet needs line at (866) 272-2237.  

Katy St. Clair got her start in journalism by working in the classifieds department at the East Bay Express during the height of alt weeklies, then sweet talked her way into becoming staff writer, submissions editor, and music editor. She has been a columnist in the East Bay Express, SF Weekly, and the San Francisco Examiner. Starting in 2015, she begrudgingly scaled the inverted pyramid at dailies such as the Vallejo Times-Herald, The Vacaville Reporter, and the Daily Republic. She has her own independent news site and blog that covers the delightfully dysfunctional town of Vallejo, California, where she also collaborates with the investigative team at Open Vallejo. A passionate advocate for people with developmental disabilities, she serves on both the Board of the Arc of Solano and the Arc of California. She lives in Vallejo.