HOBE SOUND, Fla. — Some people who live in the Hobe Heights neighborhood in Hobe Sound are going into another night with flooded homes.
Martin County leaders say the county has seen upwards of 15 inches of rain in localized areas since Memorial Day. With the water table at capacity, it is taking longer for flood water to recede.
“I’ve never flooded before,” said resident Martin Searcy.
Sunday afternoon, friends and family helped him move furniture out of his flooded house. He says his floors and walls are likely ruined. His home, he says, is unlivable.
“Smelly, very wet, slippery, humid. Everything is trashed. I have a friend cutting the drywall so it won’t go so high,” Searcy said.
He is looking at potentially tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage, and because the neighborhood is not in a flood zone, he does not have flood insurance.
“Pretty much everything I own is trashed,” Searcy said.
A county spokesperson says the county is trying to dry up these streets, placing seven pumps throughout the neighborhood.
There is a challenge figuring out where to pump the water without making conditions worse on other streets.
David Hanna says water being pumped into a field behind his home ended up flooding his backyard.
The homes are also all on septic tanks, adding to public health concerns, and Hanna says he has not been able to shower in his own home for days.
The county has crews working 24 hours shifts to monitor pumps and make adjustments as needed. The county is also giving out sandbags.
A local non-profit organization, 25 United, helped coordinate county agencies and local businesses to bring relief to residents, helping them haul out furniture, secure dry storage, arrange hotel rooms, and launch a fundraising site. BD Trucking, Elite Gas, Lowe’s Stuart, Waste Management, Synergy Equipment, Premier Realty Group, Storage Rentals of America, Create Anomaly, and Elevate Hope contributed resources to help residents.
The county also declared a local state of emergency, which will allow the county access to additional resources. It also provides operational flexibility to take emergency measures to respond to flooding.
Thursday, June 11 at 3:00 P.M, 25 United is looking for volunteers to meet in Hobe Heights to help remove remaining furniture inside homes and begin more extensive cleanup efforts.
More information on how you can support clean up efforts through 25 United are linked below:
•https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/O4GO5TUSF7SL
• www.gofundme.com/f/crockett-family039s-home-destroyed-by-fl…