SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — The San Diego-Tijuana region is getting slammed by what meteorologists call an atmospheric river bringing several inches of rain that quickly flooded the Tijuana River Valley.
By 8 a.m., the river had swollen and, according to Border Patrol, several migrants got caught in the elements and needed to be rescued from the fast-rising water.
“When it rains it can be dangerous for the migrants that are smuggled through this area,” said Border Patrol Agent Angel Moreno.
Moreno said fellow agents and EMTs were the first on the scene followed by a river rescue team from the San Diego Lifeguard Service.
“There is a lot of heavy brush in the area, water levels are rising due to heavy rain, that is one of the issues why folks who enter this area sometimes get stuck,” Moreno said.
A video posted on social media by San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Patricia D. McGurk-Daniel shows agents and rescue crews pulling migrants to safety on a raft under a bridge.
One border agent says that from the time they arrived, the river rose 6 inches.
Within the hour, most of the migrants had been pulled from the water and brush and brought to safety before being detained.
“Ultimately, we rescued six out of the seven migrants, there is still one person outstanding,” Moreno said.
A source told Border Report the missing migrant was likely the guide who did not want to get caught.
“This is another example of what can essentially happen when migrants place their lives in the hands of smugglers,” Moreno said. “Luckily, our agents were there and able to rescue six out of the seven.”
In other areas of the Tijuana River Valley, the rain and runoff from south of the border had flooded large portions of Monument Road, which runs parallel to the border.
One area, called Smuggler’s Gulch, was closed to traffic as water crossed the road.
Hollister Road, which runs north-south to the border was also shut down due to flooding.
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