Dean Park residents continue dealing with flooding issues after Helene

Dean Park in Fort Myers looks different than it did a week ago. Couches, tables, mattresses, and an assortment of people’s possessions litter the neighborhood leftover from Hurricane Helene.

“It’s hard to have. I never in a million years imagine two storms in two years. I’ve lived here for 22 years, and we have never flooded here at all,” said Dean Park resident Michelle Nungent.

Nungent had only been back in her Dean Park home for about a year after dealing with the damage from Ian’s storm surge two years ago.

Last week, Helene came through the Gulf and flooded many coastal communities, including Michelle’s home.

“Just numb, done, just thought, ‘Here we go again,’ just like even now I’m like, ‘I have to do it because we really have no choice,’ but it’s just not a good feeling,” said Nungent.

She said she had two inches of water inside her home and considers herself lucky because there are homes in Dean Park that saw nearly four feet of flooding.

• RELATED: Neighbors hit with flooding in Dean Park community

As so many are now left mucking and gutting their flooded homes, Michelle wonders if there are other issues contributing to the flooding in Dean Park and wonders if it is time for the city to step in.

“It seems like there’s a multitude of problems, us not having a sea wall along the river anymore as well as Billy’s Creek,” said Nungent, “and there seems to be some type of problems as well with the new storm drains.”

With hurricane season in full swing and another potential system brewing in the Gulf of Mexico, she just hopes something can keep this from happening again.

“I wanted my grandchildren to come back here one day, and I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know how long we can keep doing this,” said Nungent.

As far as any issues with the storm drains in that area, WINK News has reached out to the City of Fort Myers. As soon as we get more information, we’ll let you know.