Mamaroneck residents still cleaning up muddy mess from floods: "It was a lake"
MAMARONECK, N.Y. -- Westchester County is still cleaning up a muddy mess Monday, a back-breaking chore for residents and town workers after last week's major storm.
Alexis Contreras, a 29-year-old software engineer, has many long days ahead of him after torrential rain flooded his home in Mamaroneck.
It wasn't the first time his home flooded, so he knew to take action before the storm.
"The first thing I did was get the cars out," said Contreras. "Luckily, my tenants were nice enough to let me start bringing stuff to the second floor. Any belongings, documents, clothes, anything that I could save I just started bringing to the second floor."
"If we wait to take it out, the moisture is gonna go up on the sheetrock even further and mold can grow. So that's why we have to act quick and get everything out as fast as we can," he added.
Belongings got trashed up and down Center Avenue.
Monday, Teresa Laise was monitoring the Sheldrake River.
"It was a lake," said Laise, who's certain it will rise again.
Parts of Westchester are counting on an $88 million federal and local partnership to redesign the contours of the area rivers, hopefully within five years.
Local governments are also encouraging homeowners to invest in raising structures in low-lying areas.