What to Do After a Major Storm

The short version

• If you smell gas, see a downed line, or find anyone hurt, call 911. Those don't wait.
• Treat every downed or sagging power line as live, even one that looks dead. Stay far back.
• The ground can keep sliding for days after the rain stops. Watch for fresh cracks and leaning trees, and be ready to leave.
• Photograph damage before you clean up or make repairs, and keep receipts for emergency work, for insurance.
• Check on older neighbors, anyone on medical power equipment, and people who live alone.

The quiet after a big storm feels like the all-clear, and it isn't. A lot of the damage, and a lot of the injuries, land after the weather clears. Downed lines are still live, saturated ground keeps sliding for days, weakened trees keep falling, and hidden damage shows up when you go looking. Here's how to check your place and your neighbors safely once the worst has passed. If you smell gas, see a downed line, or find anyone hurt, that's a 911 call.

First, the dangerous stuff

• Downed power lines. Treat every downed or sagging line as live and dangerous, even if it looks dead. Stay far back, keep others and pets away, and report it to PG&E and, if it's an immediate danger, to 911. Never try to move a line or a tree that's touching one.
• Gas smell. If you smell gas, don't flip switches or light anything. Leave, then call PG&E and 911 from a safe distance.
• Unstable trees and limbs. Storms leave "widowmakers," hanging limbs and leaning trees that come down later. Look up before you work under trees, and be cautious around any that shifted.
• Water safety. If your power was out, well pumps and treatment may have been affected. If you lost pressure, your well flooded, or you suspect contamination, use bottled water and follow what your water provider or County Environmental Health tells you. Boil only when officials advise it for germs, because boiling does not remove chemicals.

Check your property

• Walk the drainage again. Culverts and ditches often clog mid-storm. Re-clear them, safely and never in moving water, so the next system doesn't back up. See our culverts and drainage guide.
• Look for erosion and slumping. Fresh cracks in the ground, tilting fences or trees, or soil pulling away from foundations are warning signs. There's more on those in winter landslide warning signs.
• Check the roof and structure from the ground for damage, and the crawlspace or garage for water intrusion.
• Food safety. If the fridge was off for hours, when in doubt, throw it out.

Document and report

• Photograph damage before you clean up or make temporary repairs, for insurance. Keep receipts for emergency work.
• Report road hazards like washouts, slides, and downed trees blocking county roads to Santa Cruz County Public Works, whose 24-hour road dispatch is (831) 477-3999. Report state-highway hazards through Caltrans or 911 if it's dangerous.
• Report a still-out outage to PG&E so it's on their map.

Remember the risk isn't over

Ground saturated by a big storm can keep sliding for days after the rain, and back-to-back systems are common here. Keep watching the forecast, stay ready to leave if a slide threatens your home, and don't assume the danger passed with the clouds.

Check on neighbors

Mountain living runs on this. Look in on older neighbors, anyone who depends on power for medical equipment, and folks who live alone, especially after an outage. A quick knock can catch a problem before it becomes an emergency.

Frequently asked questions

What's the biggest danger after a storm?

Downed power lines are among the most dangerous, because they stay live. Stay far back, keep everyone away, and report them to PG&E and 911. Gas leaks, unstable trees, damaged structures, floodwater, and saturated ground all deserve the same caution.

Can landslides happen after the rain stops?

Yes. Saturated ground can keep moving for days after a storm. Watch for fresh cracks, tilting trees or fences, and slumping soil, and be ready to leave if your home is threatened.

How do I report storm damage to a road?

Report county-road hazards to Santa Cruz County Public Works at (831) 477-3999, and dangerous state-highway hazards via Caltrans or 911. Photograph your own property damage before cleanup for insurance.

The one thing worth repeating: if you smell gas, see a downed line, or someone's hurt, call 911. To report or track an outage, use PG&E. For current road, weather, and outage conditions across the valley, keep Mountain Status open, and see the Residents guide for county contacts and emergency resources in one place.

Last reviewed July 20, 2026. This guide points to official sources, including PG&E, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Santa Cruz County Public Works, and the National Weather Service, for anything time-sensitive.