FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Some residents in Broward County are still dealing with flooding issues caused by this week’s historic rain.
Waters have slowly continued to recede, but it’s been a slow process for many, and continuing rain hasn’t helped.
Inside the Edgewood community of Fort Lauderdale, the streets are clear, but many homes and yards remain flooded.
Those impacted have been totaling up the value of everything they lost, both inside and outside of their homes.
“Everything is damaged,” said homeowner Marlies Perez. “All of the appliances, the water heater, everything. The smell is really bad inside the house.”
Perez said she and her family were able to escape through a window as waters inside the home reached waist-level for the adults and head-level for the children.
“We were all doing a prayer right before we jumped out through the window,” Perez said.
Across Fort Lauderdale, inside the Melrose Park community, families are dealing with similar situations.
Floodwater remains in the street, several inches high.
Neighbors want answers from the city because they believe the drains failed.
“Everything in there is wet. We just installed brand new cabinets -- totally damaged,” said homeowner Della Musgrove. “(I’m feeling) frustration, and wanting people to take responsibility and do what they’re supposed to be doing, because we can’t do that. That’s why we have elected officials and people that are responsible.”
Fort Lauderdale officials spoke Saturday evening, saying they continue to pump water in neighborhoods like Edgewater.
“Our engineering staff is analyzing ways to improve the work as two-to-three feet of water remains in some areas,” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis.
Residents have been totaling up the value of everything lost, with some even considering reevaluating whether they should remain living in South Florida.
“It’s everything that you’ve worked so hard for, it just goes down the drain,” said Perez.
Added Musgrove: “We are the only ones who are originally still here from 1989 and I am considering moving for the first time.”
Fort Lauderdale officials said they are about to launch a debris removal operation.
They also said they are concerned that all of the standing water could be attracting mosquitoes.
They’re asking that if residents notice a big concentration of mosquitoes, to contact the country’s mosquito control division.
A GoFundMe page was created to help the Perez family recover, and it can be found by clicking here.