Families in the Deer Run neighbourhood of South Brevard County, Florida, have spent days surrounded by stagnant floodwater after a slow-moving storm dumped more than 20in of rain across parts of the region.
Residents near St Johns Heritage Parkway said yards and driveways remained submerged, with some people forced to wear waders to reach their cars. The floodwater has also attracted wildlife, including alligators, while concerns grow about what could happen if further rain arrives.
Paula Vargas said she had seen alligators in the water near her home and feared the surrounding properties could not withstand much more flooding.
“It scares me,” she said. “It scares me because what are we going to do? How much more can his property take?”
Valerie Amar Bailey, another Deer Run resident, said water levels continued to rise even after the rain had stopped. She described the land behind her home as a lake and questioned why the drainage system had failed to clear the runoff.
“Why is the water not moving?” she asked, adding that the pumps residents normally rely on “didn’t kick on”.
South Brevard floodwater leaves properties isolated
The heavy rain arrived on Monday, when parts of South Brevard recorded rainfall totals of between 15in and more than 20in. The National Weather Service described the event as an exceptionally rare, one-in-1,000-year rainfall occurrence.
Standing water has spread across streets and private land in Deer Run, leaving gardens, playgrounds, barns and other outbuildings unusable. Some homes are built on raised foundations and there have been no reports of water entering the properties in the neighbourhood, but residents say access remains difficult.
Bailey said the flooding was unlike anything she had seen during more than two decades in the area. Deer and other animals have been seen wading through the water, while families with horses and livestock are worried about the effects of prolonged flooding.
“It’s never been like this in over 20 years,” Bailey said.
The wider flooding caused hundreds of high-water rescues across Brevard County earlier in the week, according to the county sheriff. Emergency crews have used boats and high-water vehicles to reach people in areas affected by the flash floods.
Brevard County says there is nowhere to pump the water
Brevard County officials said aerial inspections of Deer Run were carried out on Thursday as crews assessed the extent of the flooding. The county has also been monitoring drainage infrastructure and areas at risk from rising water in the St Johns River basin.
A county spokesperson said emergency pumping could not immediately solve the problem because the surrounding waterways were already carrying large volumes of water.
“Until the water recedes, there is no place for that water to go, and we can’t unflood some homes by flooding other homes, so there is no place to pump the water to,” the spokesperson said.
The St Johns River flows north, meaning runoff from southern Brevard can continue moving through the basin for days after the rain has stopped. County officials have warned that water levels could remain elevated in low-lying areas as the accumulated runoff travels downstream.
Residents say they understand the difficulty of moving such a large volume of water but want clearer information about the county’s plans for future storms.
“What is their plan to address situations like this or other possible events?” Bailey asked.
For now, families in Deer Run are waiting for the water to drain, keeping a close watch on the weather and trying to protect their homes, animals and belongings from any further rise.
