Flooding leaves some Lehigh Acres neighbors stuck in their homes

Reporter: Gina Tomlinson
Published: Updated:
Truck drives along flooded roadway. (Credit: WINK News)
Truck drives along flooded roadway. (Credit: WINK News)

Families in a Lehigh Acres neighborhood are stranded Wednesday night. They say their lives are at a standstill because of knee-high water on their street.

Their driveways and yards are underwater. Belgrave looks more like a pond than a street. It is a sight one expects from a severe hurricane.

“Every time it rains it’s worse,” said Aradelia Maldonado, who lives in the flooded area.

“Little fish be swimming all around it,” said Domonic Freeman, a neighbor there.

The water is high, leaving some neighbors trapped. Kassandra Barnswell is fearful about the uncertain future. Her 5-year-old with autism has therapy on Thursday.

“I’m afraid to leave my house,” Barnswell said. “What am I going to do next if I get stuck in the water.”

Barnswell said her main concern is the unsanitary water conditions. She worries her kids might become sick. With school starting Monday, her kids might not be able to catch the bus unless the area becomes significantly better.

Florida Dept. of Transportation tells WINK News construction on drainage pipes is causing some of the floodings while mother nature is helping, too.

Neighbors here are hoping that more rain will not make matters worse. However, with rain falling multiple hours a day across Lee County, they are not optimistic.

“It’s getting pretty bad and it’s pretty dangerous for people in the area, you know?” Barnswell said.

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