CLEARWATER, Fla. — The rain poured down across various parts of the Tampa Bay area Wednesday, and one place that saw flood damage from the storms was the city of Clearwater.
Some residents at the Standard apartments say they can’t get a break — just a few weeks ago, they saw flooding from Hurricane Debby, and now they're dealing with the same issue.
Flooding has receded here at the Standard Apartments in Clearwater, but the rain hasn’t stopped. Residents are concerned and want something to be done to help mitigate the issue. @BN9 pic.twitter.com/GBfc8RZckb
— Lizbeth Gutierrez (@LizbethGNews) August 22, 2024
“My apartment got flooded — a lot of apartments got flooded,” said Veronica Lugo, who said damage from Debby was devastating.
But this time around, Lugo said she was prepared, knowing how much flooding could accumulate in the area where she lives.
“We see this problem happen often, so we moved our car higher" she said. "Because over here, imagine if I leave my car here, that other car is all wet right now.”
Others weren’t so lucky. Madeline Lopez moved into the apartment complex three months ago.
Thursday, she woke up to the same flooding issues she faced after Debby.
“We couldn’t do anything or open it," she said. "My son got inside through one side, but there was water inside the car no matter what we did."
The residents say flooding isn’t just a concern for cars, it also brings dirty water and prevents residents from being able to leave the property.
“The other day one of the guys said, ‘Don’t walk through the water,’ but there is no other way to go to my apartment,” Lugo said.
Some residents who live on the lower levels say they had issues with water seeping into their building.
For Lopez, it’s an issue she wants resolved.
“This is a lose because they never told me this area flooded," she said. "If I would have known I would not have moved here, they never mentioned anything to me."
A representative from the apartment complex said flooding has been a recent issue in the area, but they have reached out to the city and have not yet found a solution.