One National City family discovered their family cars damaged by a fallen tree, caused by heavy gusts and pouring rain Thursday morning.
Giovanna Alvarado's family heard a loud thud around 4:30 a.m. on Thursday and, upon investigation, found their two cars trapped under a fallen tree, branches piercing through the windshield on B Avenue and East 31st Street.
"These are the cars that we use to go to work, go to school and we don't have any extra car to go," Alvarado said.
National City Public Works crews cleared sections of the fallen tree and debris from the street, but the tree itself is on private property so it is the homeowner's responsibility, according to Stephen Manganiello, National City Director of Public Works.
But Alvarado and her family have been renting for over 15 years. They said they hope the landlord can help remedy the situation, but had not heard back from him by Thursday afternoon.
This was not the first time the tree has caused some trouble, Alvarado said.
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She said her family has previously asked the city about removing the tree, but the city told them the tree could not be removed due to its historic status.
"At first they had told us they couldn't cut it because it was a city tree and now they're saying it's the property's tree. So now they're contradicting and we don't know what's going to happen," Alvarado told NBC 7.
More trees toppled across the city and county from Point Loma to Talmadge, but luckily no one was hurt this holiday season.
City of San Diego crews were responding to reports of fallen trees and other rain-related problems as quickly as possible, the city told NBC 7.
Alvarado has set up a GoFundMe.
