Monrovia Prepares for El Niño

Highland Avenue in Monrovia is always susceptible to mudflow during heavy rains. – Photo By Terry Miller

By Susan Motander

Monrovia is holding a sandbag event this Saturday at Recreation Park. Starting at 10 a.m., personnel from the city’s public services and fire department will teach residents how to fill sandbags, and how to stack them into the most effective barriers. Free sandbags and pea gravel will also be available for residents. The event will continue until noon.

Residents who wish to pick up sand/gravel bags at the event should bring a shovel, gloves, safety glasses and a large vehicle to transport the filled bags.

A preparedness seminar was held on Tuesday at the Monrovia Library to brief residents on what was billed as the pending El Niño event. The standing room-only lecture was filled with residents who already realized the dangers of mud and water flow. Representative from public services, fire, and police departments all reported on what the city had done to prepare and offered suggestions to residents on how to prepare their homes.

Another such program is planned for Thursday, Jan. 21st at 6 p.m. in the Community Room at the Library. This event is in conjunction with State Senator Carol Liu’s office.

In the meantime, sandbags are available for residents at the Community Center: 119 W. Palm; City Hall: 415 S. Ivy; Fire Station 101: 141 E. Lemon; and at the City Yard: 600 S. Mountain Avenue. Gravel is available from bins located in the 900 block of Crescent (between Madison and El Nido), in Recreation Park (near the Barney Glen Baseball Field parking lot) and on the northeast corner of Hill and Prospect. Residents should bring a shovel, gloves, goggles and a vehicle to haul the filled bags. Bags should be picked up in advance at the aforementioned locations.

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