FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Long days are ahead as people work to cleanup their community after historic floods damaged their homes.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency responded to a Fort Lauderdale neighborhood to assess the damage, Wednesday.
“Thank God they’re here because it’s been a week, it’s been seven days since this flood,” said Anna Rysedorph whose neighborhood flooded.
There is now help for people who need it most.
“We’ve seen a lot of people who had their lives turned upside down by this,” said John Mills, FEMA. “It is just heartbreaking some of the situations that we’re seeing here.”
It is still a lengthy process with FEMA only being a part of the recovery.
“FEMA individual assistance is only designed to help jump start survivors’ recovery, to give them a hand up on some basic human needs,” Mills said.
The Edgewater neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale was underwater after last week’s floods, and many residents are without flood insurance.
The damage is widespread with Fort Lauderdale City Hall remaining closed indefinitely. The floods forced staff to relocate.
“It’s not looking so well to restore the building,” said Fort Lauderdale City Manager Greg Chavarria. “We have a building here that was built in the ’60s and has a lot of antiquated infrastructure.”
As FEMA assesses the damage, state officials will still need to request that assistance, which will then begin the process of getting help to the residents affected.
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