Little Falls residents continue to navigate flooded streets while waiting for water to recede
LITTLE FALLS, N.J. -- Floodwaters in Little Falls started to recede Wednesday, but for hundreds of residents near the Passaic River, it was still too high to return home.
An aluminum dinghy moved by manpower was the source of safe passage for Little Falls residents on Parkway.
Augusto Kelly ferried folks from their water-locked homes to drier ground for work, school and food. When CBS New York's Vanessa Murdock caught up with him after a couple of trips, he had pizza for himself and a neighbor stacked a few boxes high.
Some opted to stay at home, despite evacuation orders, including Andy Solomon.
"I stayed. I have five dogs, so I'm not leaving them," Solomon said.
Watch Vanessa Murdock's report
A high-water vehicle helped him get to town Wednesday morning for essentials, and thanks to Kelly, he's heading home again. Solomon shared the flooding only nicked him.
"Just a little bit of water in the basement, nothing to cry about," he said.
Many we spoke to said water in the basement is the worst it got for them during this latest round of flooding from the Passaic, but Little Falls Public Information Officer Ryan Hoyt shared water did make it into some living rooms, and rescues became necessary for 16 residents Tuesday night. CBS New York caught those rescues unfolding.
A mother and son attempted to return home Wednesday after evacuating Tuesday night. Mom needed her medication, but the cold water quickly became too deep to complete the trek home. The two turned around and awaited safe passage. Their wait was not long.
Albaro Saenz showed up with his neighbor's boat in tow -- his kids dry and hungry inside. They made the journey to grab lunch and took time to describe the scene at home for us.
"Water in the backyard, some in the basement. My neighbor, behind me, they have full basement," he said.
"It's like a pool, basically," 12-year-old Tezza Saenz said.
"I've been seeing it get higher. It's about to be as high as the deck," 9-year-old Albaro Saenz said.
Albaro and Tezza shared this is not the first flood their dad has floated them through.
"Not this deep, though," Tezza said.
Watch Vanessa Murdock's report
Once lunch arrived, the Saenz family went off with the mother and son neighbors, all rowing to help ease the burden brought on by more than 5 inches of rain Monday.
"We're hoping to see the floodwaters recede by around 9 a.m. on Friday, and at that point, maybe transition into our recovery," Hoyt said.
Hoyt says recovery includes restoration of utilities for residents.
"Just simply getting them back into their homes at that point to assess the damage," he said.
Then, clean-up can begin.
Danaysha Betts and her sons were at the Red Cross shelter Wednesday night after they had to be carried out of their Paterson home by firefighters hours earlier, lifted over knee-deep water when the flooding became untenable.
"This is for today, but what about tomorrow?" she said.
They were able to bring some bags with them, but Betts does not know when her kids can return home.
"I don't know where we're gonna go. I don't wanna go place to place to place. I really don't know, so I'm just trying to keep a good hope, good spirit, as long as they're happy," she said.
"We is happy," her son said.
The Betts family was one of dozens rescued in Paterson. Many had to spend the night trapped with no electricity or heat.
The Little Falls mayor says at least eight people were rescued Wednesday.
With water still high, the Red Cross is already going around to affected communities, assessing the damage.
"To get an idea of what the immediate needs are going to be in the next couple of days and working with local officials to make sure that those needs are met," said Sheri Ferreira, with the American Red Cross.
For the Betts family, the immediate need is a place to stay.
"Are you hoping to be back by Christmas?" CBS New York's Ali Bauman asked.
"Yeah, I'm hoping, but the way the water look when I left, I don't think so," Betts said.
Schools in Little Falls remain open.
This flood is the ninth worst on record for Little Falls, far behind the havoc unleashed by Hurricane Irene in 2011.