WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Residents of the Briar Bay community in West Palm Beach say they are still dealing with widespread flooding nearly a week after heavy rain stopped, leaving some neighbors stranded and others questioning why the water has taken so long to recede.
WPTV reporter Zitlali Solache walked through the neighborhood, located off Jog Road west of Florida's Turnpike, on Sunday, where standing water continued to cover streets several days after the rain cleared.
WATCH REPORT BELOW:
"Water has been stagnant like this for one week now," homeowner Dihan Tweed said.
Residents told WPTV the prolonged flooding has disrupted nearly every part of daily life.
"There's a lot of people who have been trapped in their home for an entire week. No school, no work, no groceries," homeowner Dwinette Feemster said.
Residents report damaged cars, water near homes
Some residents said they have been forced to park their vehicles outside the complex because of the high water.
Tweed said floodwater got inside a vehicle that was later taken to a repair shop.
"They said pretty much a total loss," Tweed said.
One family told WPTV the water reached its doorstep, prompting them to put up a makeshift barrier in an attempt to keep it from entering the home.
"We had to put this barricade to minimize the situation," said Tweed.
For student Aurora Dihan, what initially felt unusual and exciting quickly became concerning as the water continued to rise.
"Then it became fear when the water kept rising and rising, and now I'm just tired of it," Dihan said.
Concerns grow over health and sanitation
The standing water has also created concerns about conditions inside the community.
Residents told WPTV they have seen dead animals, while trash collection has also been disrupted.
"It's a health hazard, and we are just sick of it and nobody has given us a straight answer," homeowner Munzareen Mirza said.
Mirza said residents have sought answers from their homeowners association but feel they have been caught between different entities trying to determine who is responsible.
HOA official raises questions about drainage pumps
Phillip Hutchinson, treasurer of Tides at Briar Bay, told WPTV the HOA learned that pumps belonging to the Hamal Community Development District were not running last Sunday.
"Clearly they did not do in advance what was necessary to remove enough water for us not to have this situation," Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson said he has lived in the community for more than 20 years and has never seen water remain for this long.
HOA representatives said they have contacted the city of West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County while seeking funding and emergency relief.
Hutchinson said residents still want to know what happened with the pumps, why lake levels were not lowered and whether the equipment being used now is sufficient to remove the floodwater.
WPTV has not independently established why the pumps were not running or which entity is responsible for the prolonged flooding.
For residents, however, the immediate priority is clear.
"Right now, we just want this water out, like ASAP," one resident told WPTV. "That's the No. 1 priority."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
