Apopka residents near Lake Piedmont face flooding, power outages a week after Hurricane Milton

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Published  October 16, 2024 9:41pm EDT
FOX 35 Orlando
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Floodwaters creep higher in Apopka neighborhood

Apopka residents who live near Piedmont Lake are dealing with flooding woes. One subdivision has been dealing with no power and rising floodwaters in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.

APOPKA, Fla. - Residents near Lake Piedmont are grappling with rising floodwaters and prolonged power outages in the wake of Hurricane Milton. 

The usually small lake which sits along Piedmont Wekiwa Road, has risen past it banks. Calls for assistance are growing louder as the situation worsens.

"Welcome to what we now call 'Wekiva Lakes,’" said Amber Barrick, standing in what used to be her backyard, now submerged by floodwaters from the storm. 

Barrick has been without power for days, forcing her to temporarily leave her home.

"Our backyard is a lake now — snakes, gators, and diseases," Barrick said. "It’s gross! It’s ugly."

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City and county officials are aware of the problem, and Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore has called it a top priority. Efforts to address the issue are underway, with multiple jurisdictions coordinating to find a solution.

"It’s leading to five different jurisdictions sitting down with us and trying to find a resolution," Moore said.

According to Orange County officials, the flooding began when a county pond overflowed its south bank, spilling into the adjacent wetland and a nearby unnamed lake at the west end of Wekiva Village Lane.

"Orange County Stormwater Management had an internal meeting this morning, and staff is working on a potential solution we will recommend to the City of Apopka by the end of today," the county said in a statement sent to FOX 35 News on Wednesday.

However, for families in the neighborhood, the prolonged wait for relief is fueling frustration.

"Our families are the most important thing, and when you’re leaving without a timeline, that’s not feasible," Moore added.

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