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Neighbors in Dearborn Heights hit by summer flooding prepare for this week's rain, Mayor asks community to help

Posted at 11:22 PM, Sep 21, 2021
and last updated 2022-03-17 19:59:35-04

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — “It's like a river, you can even get out,” said Martha Clements.

She lives on Hanover. She’s dealt with flooding on several occasions and now she’s doing what she can to keep the water out of her home.

“We’ve put bags up against the garage, so water doesn’t get in there and damage,” she adds.

Bags of topsoil and salt. She also did some additional preps around her yard.

“We’ve had gutters installed to try to help with that. We try to keep the drains clean,” said Clements.

Mayor Bill Bazzi says city crews are on standby working around the clock but he’s asking neighbors to do their part.

“If you see there is any kind of debris on the storm drains or anything like that, please clear it,” said Bazzi.

The mayor and other city leaders, including emergency management, are monitoring the weather conditions. The Detroit metro area is expecting several inches of rain.

“We are hoping that the rain passe,s but that’s the projection to get 10ft of water in the Ecorse Creek,” Bazzi adds.

The Ecorse Creek runs behind homes on Hanover which causes flooding, closures, and boats in the middle of the road.

“If I could go back and not buy this house, I wouldn’t,” said Clements.

Danny Rodoske was in the neighborhood looking at homes for sale.

“I was wondering why they sent me a listing where the basements got flooding trouble,” he said

He tells us the continued flooding is a concern as a home buyer. Clements tells me that when it floods people don’t always see the pain it lives behind.

“I do get emotional I try not to, but I do,” she says.

The mayor is reminding people across the city to move their cars out of the street if they live in an area that floods. Also, remember that floodwater is not safe to drive in or stand in.