SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Ian unleashed heavy rain and powerful winds, several Seminole County families are still trying to recover.
Some Sanford residents are finding new ways to do everyday tasks since their area is still surrounded by water. Tonya Crowley lives on Missouri Avenue. Many of her neighbors must park their vehicles on the side of the road because the water is too high to drive down the street.
Nearby residents have been using boats to get to their homes. Crowley moved from up north to Sanford three years ago; this was her first time experiencing a hurricane in Florida – her home isn’t far from the St. Johns River.
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A lot of her property is now underwater, including her garage and basement.
“I knew we were going to get water, but I had no idea we were going to get 4 [or] 5 feet of water,” Crowley said.
She said most of her garden is ruined – all the plants together are worth thousands of dollars.
“To watch my plants and everything just [kind of] get sucked in by all the water, yeah that was very devastating,” Crowley said.
She and her husband also have no running water at home. They have turned to unconventional methods of getting things done, like filling IV bags with fresh water and hanging them over the kitchen cupboards.
“That’s what we use to wash the dishes,” Crowley said.
The flood water in her neighborhood has also displaced animals.
“Last night we had over seven [or] eight deer right here in the front,” Crowley said.
Neighbors hope the water recedes soon, but until then Crowley and her husband are choosing positivity.
“They say this was record breaking, so we know if we can get through this one, we’ll be able to get through any of them,” Crowley said.
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