PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Residents in the Lake Maggiore neighborhood said they are experiencing some flooding issues and they are asking the city for help.
"All of this was underwater…all of this was underwater…the whole street was underwater," said Ramona Brayboy.
Ramona Brayboy lives in the Maggiore Neighborhood, where flooding has been an issue ever since Hurricane Helene.
"There was a lot of neighbors, particularly my great aunt that had trouble getting into their homes, trouble getting to their work," said Brayboy.
Residents said in the Salt Lake Canal during Hurricane Helene, a whole car was submerged because of how high the flooding got.
Brayboy's great aunt, who also lives in the area, has seen flooding cause other issues like trash filling the street.
"Very bad and shabby…it's debris all over the road," she said.
Brayboy said even rainstorms can flood the street near the Salt Lake Canal.
"I did see some flash flooding around this area in a short amount of time," said Brayboy.
Currently, the city is educating residents about a flood mitigation project starting this year.
City leaders said the $30 million project includes building a new pump station near the Salt Lake Canal to help improve stormwater drainage efficiency.
"It wouldn't take too much for this to overflow as we saw…so something needs to be done now," said Brayboy.
Brayboy said she is looking forward to the new pump station, which is expected to be completed in 2028, but she wants to see more done now.
"I would think we would plant some storm mitigation landscapes of natives, maybe mangroves like we have on the other side of the canal to prevent storm surge in the first place," said Brayboy.
She is asking fellow residents and the city to invest in flood-resistant landscaping.
Valeria Maguera said the sooner changes are made, the more prepared the community will be fore this hurricane season.
"I would like them to do something to make the ground more leveled because it's a lot of uphill and down around here," said Maguera.
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