SAN DIEGO — City clean-up crews began clearing culverts in Southeast San Diego Friday morning in anticipation of next week's rain.
The culverts are located inside the flood channel that runs from Alpha Street and 38th Street in Southcrest to Ocean View Boulevard and 42nd Street in Mountain View.
According to Todd Snyder, Director of San Diego's Storm Water Department, crews will work as quickly as possible to clear 70 culverts along the flood channel.
The work is being done after Mayor Todd Gloria declared a State of Emergency.
"Under normal conditions we would not be able to do this type of work, it's a years long permitting process through multiple environmental agencies. Because of the conditions, we're happy to come in here and clear these culverts out and make sure they're as clean as we can get them before next week's storm," said Snyder.
Heavy equipment was brought in to haul away trees, debris and mud.
Crews started early in the morning. By noon, they were still working on the same culvert near 38th and Alpha.
"Very heavy, very muddy conditions. It's very wet in there. A lot of heavy debris," said Snyder.
It's unclear when all 70 culverts will be cleared. Snyder said crews are working as fast as humanly possible.
"Just want people to know that we're prioritizing based on the most impacted areas, and we'll get to you as soon as we possibly can," said Snyder.
Residents speak out
Meanwhile, residents in Southcrest worked to clear their homes of mud and trash. Several neighbors told CBS 8 the clean-up crews should've cleared that flood channel years ago.
"Now you're cleaning?" said neighbor Elisa Paulin. "Everyone says the same thing, 'Now they're cleaning it, after we lost everything. Although it's good they're cleaning it now, because there's another rain coming."
Mountain View resident Sandra Statom said her home is now riddled with mold, and they are forced to throw away family photos.
“The pictures,” Statom cried. “My babies. They won't have pictures and stuff anymore. And we don't know what to do because we're just throwing our stuff away."
Statom and her family are still picking up the pieces after Monday’s flood.
"It's just overwhelming," she said. "And its supposed to rain next week."
Statom said they need to get to their neighborhood before the rain comes again.
"They're saying it takes time but it's going to rain," she said. "Then what are we going to have? We barely have a house now so what's going to happen when it rains?"
City officials said to CBS 8 crews will take a day to finish clearing out the 38th Street channel. Then they'll move to the National Avenue channel. City officials said work will continue through the weekend and they are bringing in emergency crews to help clear out the channels across San Diego before next week's rain.
Statom said she has only seen city employees clean the channel once in 26 years. Her partner had called the city multiple times over the years to clear out the channel.
He was concerned about a fire, she said.
WATCH RELATED: City crews clearing culverts in Southeast San Diego flood channel