For the Poor, Historic 2014 Floods Still a Toxic Nightmare

METRO DETROIT, MI – For most of the 100,000 residents of Wayne, Macomb and Oakland whose homes were swamped two years ago this month, the historic 2014 floods are just an unpleasant memory — but not for the poorest victims, who live in Detroit, where aging infrastructure was unable to handle the torrential rainfall, and who are still living in flood damaged houses.

The Aug. 11, 2014, flash flooding was the country’s worst natural disaster that year, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross. Sewage spewed from floor drains, leaving a smelly mess behind.

The Red Cross said many low-income residents of Detroit are still waiting for help and are living in homes where they’re exposed to toxic molds that can cause asthma and other chronic diseases, and where they haven’t had working furnaces for two winters, Bridge magazine reported.

One reason they haven’t received FEMA assistance is that they’re renters, not homeowners. And, according to the Bridge story, FEMA workers were told not to go door to door because Detroit’s streets are dangerous. Those who did apply for assistance were often too poor to pay for their share of the repair bills.

Take a Look Back

• Woman Reported Dead in Floods to Meet Rescuer on TV
• Harrowing, Heartbreaking Tales and Worry Written in the Muck Left By Floods of 2014
• Climate Change Bigger Threat Than Aging Infrastructure: City Official
• ‘Houses Smell Like Sewers,’ Mayor Says in Plea for Federal Aid
• How Copper Scrappers May Have Caused Freeway to Swallow Cars

“The devastating effects of the flooding can still be seen in a number of Detroit communities,” Kimberly Burton, regional chief executive officer for the American Red Cross Michigan Region, told Bridge. “Sadly, the aftermath of the disaster left … ongoing challenges to many who survived the initial rains.”
Several local relief organizations have stepped forward, but the need is substantial and exceeds their resources.

How to Help

If you’d like to help, contact the Northwest Detroit Flood Recovery Project at (313) 646-4052, or email nwdfloodrecovery@gmail.com. Donations may be mailed to The Detroit Annual Conference Treasury Office, 1309 N. Ballenger Hwy., Suite 1, Flint, MI 48504. Memo Line: NW Detroit Flood Recovery. The Northwest Detroit Flood Recovery Project said 100 percent of all donations go to direct assistance.

» For the rest of this story, go to Bridge magazine.

Image credit: Patch file photo