Some Grand Prairie Flood Victims Seek Higher Ground
Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter
GRAND PRAIRIE (CBSFW.COM) - In the Grand Prairie mobile home park now free of the flood water that plagued it two weeks ago, people measure their fear of floods by how high the flood water was around their home.
"That was the water," one man said holding his hand about a foot off the ground.
That wasn't high enough to enter his mobile home which like all the others sits on a few feet of cinder blocks.
"I walked in water, it was like this," Claudia Barrera said holding her hand waist high about two-and-a-half to three feet high.
And for Claudia Barrera that was too high. She's moving her four sons to higher ground.
"I'm scared of the water," Barrera said. "I'm finding a house."
Barrera lives in a city where 37% of the land is prone to flooding. Grand Prairie passed laws several years ago not allowing new homes to be built in the flood plain, but an apartment complex and neighborhoods like the mobile home park were built before the laws were passed. The only way they can be forced to leave is if their place had severe damage. They cannot rebuild in the flood plain.
The city tries to protect the people who are cleaning up and plan to stay in the flood plain. There are 27 water sensors around town that will automatically divert traffic around flooded roads and trigger evacuations when needed. The protections aren't enough for Barrera.
"It's scary because of all the kids," she said.
Her only question now is what to do with a home sitting where it is almost impossible to sell.
"I will probably give it to someone in my family," she sighed.
(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
