FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — A Fayetteville woman found more than water damage in her home after Tropical Storm Debby made its way through North Carolina.
“I’m still cleaning out worms,” Camille Bartle said.
Bartle found the creepy crawlers and tiny fish in her home after Locks Creek flooded her neighborhood.
“My furniture damaged. Brand new! My backyard looks like the Cape Fear River,” she said.
Bombay Drive where Bartle’s home is located flooded on Thursday. She said the City of Fayetteville neglected a stormwater drain near her home. She believes it could have absorbed some of the water. However, the city said the drain is on Bartle’s property.
“We make an extra effort to go around, and clean storm drains within the thoroughfare and right-of-ways of the city,” Loren Bymer, Spokesperson for the City of Fayetteville said.
He said the bigger issue is this subdivision is in a lowland area next to multiple creeks that feed into the Cape Fear River. The water has no place to go but into the homes during heavy rainstorms.
“We understand that there is historic flooding there. We have made every effort try to create an easier flowing avenue for water to leave,” Bymer said.
FEMA has never approved this community as a floodplain. If it was a floodplain, developers wouldn’t be able to build homes in this community. Following Hurricane Matthew, the City of Fayetteville decided to require contractors to build homes higher off the ground in this neighborhood. However, Bartle’s home was built years prior.
“I don’t know if one day this soil will open and this house will go down,” Bartle said.
Bartle, who travels out of the country for work, said she’s concerned about leaving her daughter at home with her mother who doesn’t drive, and they get trapped in the house. Bartle said she is willing to move. However, she can’t afford it, since no one will buy her home, which has been flooded at least four times.
The city said it would cost at least $60 million to build a water levy to protect homes in that community.
Source: Fox 8 News Channel
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