Residents of Paterson and Little Falls, N.J. doing their best to deal with floodwaters
LITTLE FALLS, N.J. -- Many communities in New Jersey are still dealing with the aftermath of this week's intense storm. In Paterson, the mayor closed schools because so many streets are flooded, but he is planning on lifting the city's state if emergency.
Days after the rainstorm, car after car are still submerged in floodwaters in Paterson.
City officials said they had to close 28 roads in the city after the Passaic River crested too high and spilled into several communities, leaving close to 30 people homeless right before Christmas.
"I think it's very sad (for) people at this time of the year, very sad," resident Dennis Roberson said.
Drivers told CBS New York that in some areas there's no choice but to go through rising waters.
"Even though it's closed, we have to get around in the town and everything else is packed," resident Jihad King said.
King said he uses his car to transport his grandfather and it got damaged by the floods.
"The water was high enough for it to get inside here," King said. "I had a little bit of water damage in the inside of the car and they detailed it and I have been keeping the heat on so it can dry."
King lives close to where many of the Wednesday rescues took place. Members of the Paterson Fire Department used a military-style truck to pull people out of their homes, in some cases carrying children out on their shoulders.
Mayor Andre Sayegh said he shut down schools through the new year because the flooded roads are simply too dangerous to be on.
"I want to keep people out of harm's way, don't want to put anyone in danger, and I want people to know it's about the students. It's about the staff. It's about people who drive the buses," Sayegh said.
In Little Falls, some roads are now open, but William Street is still ravaged by floodwaters.
"It's very hard to deal with the aftermath, cleaning all these things," resident Anita Prasad said. "The good thing is my kids are here. They're helping me."
- Read More: Little Falls residents continue to navigate flooded streets while waiting for water to recede
Prasad and her daughter said they knew it was going to bad while watching Passaic River reports.
"We kind of know at 9 feet we are probably going to be fine, but at 10 feet it's going to get in the house," Archana Prasad said.
The Prasads said they haven't seen flooding like this in about a decade and worry about the future. Despite that, they said they have no plans to move.
Thursday night, police said residents of Parkway and Riverview Circle were allowed to return to their homes, but areas west of Parkway remained closed.