Largo residents fear flooding could trap them in neighborhood
Flooding blocking road to Largo neighborhood
Largo residents living near 101st Street report fears of being trapped in their neighborhood due to persistent severe street flooding. FOX 13's Danielle Zulkosky reports.
LARGO, Fla. - A Largo neighborhood is calling attention to flooding in their neighborhood. It is located off of 101st Street.
Largo street flooding
What they're saying:
There is only one road in and out, so when floodwaters rise, residents say they feel trapped.
"This is a constant issue every time it rains," Larry Browett, a concerned neighbor, said. "This is flooding. I've called the city about it several times."
"I had to buy a big, lifted truck just to get in and out of my neighborhood because it floods so badly," Jeremy Lentseh, another neighbor, said.
Lentseh explained his wife's car was parked in a neighboring mall because she could not get through the floodwaters.
"I'm worried for my children," Lentseh said.
Flood crisis
Dig deeper:
Neighbors said the city comes to pump out storm drains, but that fix does not last long.
"It's a combination problem of a drain that's plugged up with sand. The city pumps it out, and they put the sand around the opening, or they put it up on the sidewalk and the sand just forces right back into the drain," Browett said.
Emergency response safety hazards
Why you should care:
Residents are concerned about public safety.
"My neighbor across the street is 89 years old," Lentseh said. "Something happens to her and how's EMS going to get here?"
"It's actually a hazard because regular cars can't get through," Browett said. "I question whether a police car could even get through here. This is starting to go down a little bit, but it's happening almost every time it rains."
Safety concerns
Big picture view:
Residents want someone to come up with a more permanent solution.
"The county comes out and said, 'No, that's city property.' And then the county, the city said, 'Oh, it's this, it's that,'" Browett said. "I mean, we just get to run around. Nobody is fixing it."
"Nobody cares at all; they don't live back here," Thomas Rotramel, a neighbor, said. "You know, we do, and we care because it affects us, it affects our daily life. My wife is disabled and if something happened I wouldn't be able to get out."
Neighbors said flooding got worse when construction started for a new fast-food restaurant in the area.
Largo response
The other side:
FOX 13 reached out to the city of Largo for comment and did not hear back.
The Source: Information in this story comes from interviews by Fox 13.