DETROIT – Like so many across Metro Detroit, residents in the Grosse Pointes are cleaning up again.
Frustration compounded with fears that this is not a question about if, but when their basements will flood again.
More: Detroit and Grosse Pointe residents hit with more flooding, damage to basements
“I thought lightning doesn’t strike twice does it? But I had a sense so I put everything up on milk crates,” said Metro Detroit resident, John Zettner.
His basement flooded for a second time on Friday.
Turned out Zettner’s gut feeling was right.
“Had the dehumidifier running disinfected everything, thought we’re good, went on vacation, got back last night to two inches,” said Zettner.
Adding insult to injury his backyard now a pond. The additional rainwater has nowhere to go.
Downstairs after ripping out drywall Zettner says he’s thinking twice about renovating.
“No more finished rooms in the basement, it’s going to be a basement,” he said.
Across the street an adjuster finally making his way to Evelyn Teague’s home.
They’ve been without a furnace or air conditioning for weeks.
She had 18 inches during the first round and another six inches last night.
“It’s very frustrating just finished cleaning up and now it’s wet again,” said Teague. Her basement also flooded for a second time Friday night.
Aging infrastructure and the effects of climate change weighing on the minds of homeowners who fear this will become the new normal.
“They have to figure out how to mitigate it in multiple ways because pumps will fail,” said Teague.
Zettner added that he did not think a second flood would happen again.
“When the first flood happened a few weeks ago, I told my wife this is going to happen again, didn’t think it would be so soon,” he said.
Weather Alert: Flood warning issued for Wayne County following heavy rainfall