Red Cross Sets Up Relief Center In Bensalem After 10 Inches Of Rain Forces Evacuations
BENSALEM, Pa. (CBS) - It has been two days since flooding devastated parts of our region, leaving some families without homes to return to. The Red Cross has set up a temporary relief shelter inside the Maltese Room in Bensalem for those forced out of their homes due to this week's flooding.
The site stayed busy Tuesday, helping people in Bucks County after more than 10 inches of rain fell in some places earlier this week and forced many from their homes.
Many people wondering what comes next.
"They're just trying to figure out a safe place right now, and when they can get back and if they can get back," said Guy Triano, Regional Chief Executive Officer at American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region.
Bensalem resident Victor Colon said, "I talked to the landlord, they don't know what's going on right now. Everything is up in the air. You keep hearing that they are condemning it, that they are going to fix it."
Colon was one of more than 100 people who had to leave the Lafayette Gardens Condominiums after the Poquessing Creek flooded.
"I had to put my kids out of the window so they could put them on boats. I had to put life jackets, my daughter was crying hysterically. Your kids, they want to go back, how do you tell them we can't go back, how do you tell them we have to start over," Colon said.
Many fear the same in Croydon.
Flooding destroyed Tatiana Rogozinski's home on Janet Street, and she says her landlord doesn't have flood insurance.
"My house is completely done, it's saturated," Rogozinski said. "I've called everywhere to try to get some kind of funding, there's nothing right now."
Local and county public works and emergency management officials went street to street Tuesday assessing damage and talking to homeowners. This - as several streets - remained underwater.
From the outside, George Daka's home on the 400 block of Penn Street appeared to be spared, but looks can be deceiving. Once inside, the damage is clear.
"Literally 2 1/2 to 3 feet of water in the entire basement. It's completely submerged. Finished basement, completely done," Daka said.
At the Red Cross command center, officials helped set people up with hotel rooms on Tuesday night.
Meantime, Bucks County is urging anyone with property damage to report it to their local municipality.
