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Welaka neighbors help each other as flooding persists days after Hurricane Ian

With each high tide, the conditions along the canals continue to improve, but many neighbors still have water in driveways and garages.

WELAKA, Fla. — The gurgling sounds of these drainage caps are music to the ears of folks living along the canals in Welaka, as that's a sign they are making progress between high tides to getting these streets clear.

But make no mistake, there is still a lot of water in these roads... and a lot of stories of neighbors helping neighbors.

"Cindy let me stay with her because my house typically floods," said Kay Ackland, who's been staying at a friend's house. "Since I have a dog, I needed green space for him to go."

Four days removed from Hurricane Ian, and Kay Ackland still has water in her garage and all through her yard.

But, even with those troubles, she's comforted by the kindness around her.

"They smoked a turkey, pork, made potato salad and baked beans, and they were going on their side-by-side delivering meals to people her weren't able to cook or without power," said Cindy Webb, who's putting Ackland up.

Although, not everyone driving up and down the neighborhood's streets have been that friendly.

"They're going at a high rate of speed, and they're flushing the water back into our houses, our garages, and flooding it again, making matters worse," said Webb.

Just up the street from Webb, Jack Clements has had to call several times to complain about people causing huge wakes on both the street and the river.

Clements says town leaders are looking into a grant to upgrade some of the drainage along the canals to hopefully put an end to the massive puddles in his driveway every time a hurricane comes knocking.

"There's always something you have to do around a place like this because you're always a nature's whim," said Clements.

Webb says a huge difference between this Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Irma is that public works crews shut off their sewage systems this time.

They had to go about four days without flushing, but at least they knew the water flooding the streets isn't contaminated.

 

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