Residents along the Delaware River know to make storm preps before heavy rain comes to town
DELANCO TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) - In Delanco Township, large puddles and flooded backyards are the norm when heavy rain comes down.
It's even more of an issue for residents living right along the Delaware River like Todd Berk.
"It seems like the flooding issues are getting worse," resident Todd Berk said. "There really is no way to prepare except to make sure that you've got something to do during the day that's going to be indoors."
For those who weren't staying home and avoiding the rain on Saturday, roads were slick as the area experienced continuous rain.
"Usually if we know it's going to rain, we kind of have to plan around it," resident Allison Ortiz said.
The ongoing flooding concerns led neighbors to set out pumps and use gates to protect their property from debris that washes up during high tide.
"That chain-linked fence held back a lot of debris so that worked out pretty well for us, but it doesn't solve the problems," Berk said.
Township and county officials considered closing the Riverside-Delanco Bridge on Saturday, but the conditions improved allowing it to stay open for drivers.
"We only have a few ways in and out of this town," Delanco Township Mayor Matt Bartlett said. "This is the main way out. As you can see the cars continue to go through the bridge, no problem. We don't have flooding on our roadways."
Aside from rain, the gusty winds were another concern because of the possibility of power outages.
"If you are a resident who is prone to frequent outages during these sort of weather events, we strongly would suggest get a generator," Bartlett said. "Use your generator safely."
Utility companies throughout the Delaware Valley said they're prepared for any potential impacts to their systems on Saturday.
