Flash floods damaged the home of a couple in Korbel

Last Saturday, a couple in Korbel lost their home due to the damages made by the storm floods.

“About 11:15 a.m. We saw the river was full, but that’s kind of a common thing and every winter it gets that way,” said Gorgie Coffelt-Lane, the former homeowner. “But we were watching it like we usually do and it was like 20 minutes later or even less than that it just started coming over.”

The home of the couple was damaged after last week’s storm flash floods and lost 20 years’ worth of their belongings. The couple immediately left their home to seek safety. They lost two cars that ended up totaled. Their furniture, electronics, house decorations, and personal items were also destroyed. Now, their home is filled with mud.

“I didn’t have time to get her car up from the ground,” said Wess Lane, the former homeowner. “There was already 16 inches of water. So, yeah, I got the four-wheel drive truck out of the barn and just go.”

The couple said they’ve experienced minor floods before but never anything to this extent. They hope to repair their home so they can live in it. Wess said, that as a 60-year-old, he hopes this is the last time they go through a tough experience because he doesn’t know if he can take another tragedy. 

As of now the couple is safe and living with family in Arcata. Coffelt-Lane’s sister organized a GoFundMe for them to raise funds for their home repairs.