Sudden Storm Causes Problems in Taft

Taft-area residents are cleaning up after a sudden thunderstorm flooded homes, downed trees and closed several roadways, including Highway 33 north of the city.

Sgt. Corey Beilby with the Taft Police Department says the storm hit after 5 p.m. Wednesday.

“There were no injuries reported,” he said. “There were some vehicles that were temporarily stuck, and there were some issued with parked vehicles that people couldn’t get to.”

The National Weather Service in Hanford says the storm brought quarter-sized hail, winds up to 45 mph and a half-inch of rain to Taft over a 15-minute span.

– Anthony Pollreisz