SAN DIEGO, California – After Monday’s historic storm in San Diego, the aftermath was captured by local journalists and shared on social media, providing shocking images and videos. However, on Thursday, NBC 7’s Drone Ranger captured new footage, offering a bird’s eye view of the damage caused by the storm.
Recorded by NBC 7 Chief Photographer Scott Baird, the drone tour showcases the neighborhoods of Southcrest and Shelltown, which were among the hardest hit by the 3-plus inches of rain that fell in six hours, along with Encanto and Mountain View. The video depicts the destructive path the flooding took, both inside a nearby flood channel and along several streets in the area.
Residents are seen in the video bringing their belongings out to sidewalks, working to clean up debris, and beginning the process of rebuilding their lives. Although the water has mostly receded, the community is left with a daunting amount of work that will take months, if not years, to complete.
Perhaps the most startling footage is of a concrete flood channel that is clearly overgrown with vegetation and still contains standing water from the storm. The channel also holds destroyed model cars, appearing to have been swept away and ending up on top of one another, resembling battered toys at the end of a tantrum.
The video gives a new, aerial perspective on the extent of the damage caused by the Great Flood of 2024 in San Diego, offering a sobering view of the impact on the affected neighborhoods.