Passaic River expected to cause major flooding in coming days: "Nobody deserves to live like this"
PATERSON, N.J. -- Residents who live in low-lying areas of Paterson are bracing for more flooding, just weeks after raging waters pushed them out of their homes back in December.
Paterson residents prepare to evacuate
Paterson's mayor tells us the Passaic River is expected to go over its edges and cause major flooding across the area by Thursday night. Many residents are now getting ready to get out.
"It's difficult. It's difficult," Paterson resident Anisa Bruton said.
Bruton has had enough. The rain Tuesday night flooded her basement, and in December, her entire street was under water.
"Automatic flood knocked the heat out, knocked the hot water out ... I'm worried about this one," she said.
Bruton, who calls herself the last person standing at the end of her block because most have moved out, will be heading to a hotel.
"I'm tired," she said. "I'm trying to save up so I can move."
"Me and my husband, we're sleeping. At 2 a.m., they knock on the door and say, 'Hey, you got 30 minutes, you have to get out,'" Wayne resident Mariela Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez evacuated her home and is staying with her sister, who lives in a flood zone in Paterson. But her dogs are safe at higher ground.
"When everything's gonna get floods, we just sleep in the car," she said. "Nobody deserves to live like this."
They experienced flooding Tuesday night, but city officials in Paterson say they expect the Passaic River to crest at 10 feet and that, they say, will definitely flood the entire area on East Holsman.
"We're asking people to enjoy the peace right now because we believe the flood is coming back, mimicking what we had a couple of weeks ago," Paterson Office of Emergency Management coordinator Troy Ayers said.
Paterson emergency crews had 12 rescues overnight and are ready for more.
"The majority of those streets were already previously closed by DPW and the barricades were removed, whether it's from the storm or civilians that come out because they think they can drive through the water and then their vehicles get disabled," Paterson Deputy Fire Chief Arthur Wood said.
"There is a reason they say, 'Turn around so you don't drown,'" Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh said.
Right now, there are no mandatory evacuations in place in Paterson. Schools had early dismissal. The mayor says the city's closely monitoring the Passaic River to see if schools should be closed Thursday.
Looking at resiliency plans in Wayne
CBS New York's Lisa Rozner took a look at resiliency plans in Wayne, where they've been dealing with floods for decades.
Roaring waters were flowing fast after the Pompton Lake dam flood gates were opened late Tuesday night, hours after the rain started falling.
"The last time, we have more water. We have all the way down here," Wayne resident Diamond Tziotis said.
Watch Lisa Rozner's report
The mayor believes the water in Wayne will go to the same level Wednesday night.
"All the snow is gone that was on the ground, so that made it even worse ... We have a lot of water coming through the town right now," Wayne Mayor Chris Vergano said.
That closed down part of a major highway -- Route 23 -- and a neighborhood which makes up 5% of the residents in Wayne Township, according to the mayor.
The mayor and several other towns had asked the state, who controls the gates, to open them up Sunday, but the request was denied in part because it could give residents "a false sense of security."
"I think we still would have had a flood, there's no question about it, but I think by allowing the water to come out quicker earlier would have made a difference for our people," Vergano said.
Gov. Phil Murphy did earmark for this year $10 million for homes impacted by flooding so they can either be bought out or elevated.
In December, we showed Wayne parking lots looking more like lakes.
The mayor says the town's received more than $100 million in FEMA money over the last decade to buy out homes. He says the amount of homes in the flood zone has since dropped from around 600 to roughly 100, including Tziotis.
"I have to move upstairs. I have two rooms upstairs," he said.
But long-term, Vergano believes buyouts are the way to go.
"Trees grow, the animals roam there. It's just left in its natural state ... [Then] it's more of a watershed for water to go to," he said.
For now, Tziotis has his basement pumps ready to go, a way of life he says he's been accustomed to for decades.
