Anna Brown's new HVAC unit sat submerged in four feet of water. Her neighbor Ellie Palapa's water heater ended up on the curb. Both Hyde Park homeowners are now staring down major damage after the flash flood that tore through Cincinnati's east side on Friday, July 17. Neither carries flood insurance, Brown told WLWT.
Brown said her basement was completely destroyed. She described the storm as terrifying.
"If you want my honest opinion, all I can do is pray," Brown told WLWT on Monday, July 20, when asked about recovering without coverage.
Palapa, who lives next door to Brown, said her home had only ever taken an inch or two of water in past storms. On July 17, she came home to find four feet in her basement. Outside her house, waterlogged belongings piled up on the curb: a coffee table, luggage, and the destroyed water heater.
Palapa had driven through flooding on Interstate 71 during the storm. When she picked up her dog from a kennel, that facility was flooded too. She returned home to the worst of it.
Multiple Hyde Park residents told WCPO 9 the downpour became a serious flood threat within 20 to 30 minutes. National Weather Service Meteorologist Julie Dian-Reed said some parts of Cincinnati received up to five inches of rain.
The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati received more than 900 reports of sewer backups and basement flooding by Monday, July 20, according to WVXU. MSD Director Diana Christy said crews worked overtime through the weekend and warned that all floodwater, whether from sewers or stormwater, is contaminated and destructive.
Cincinnati City Manager Sheryl Long said Monday, July 20, that the city is prioritizing debris removal in Hyde Park, Oakley, Madisonville, and California. The Department of Public Services stationed a large dumpster at 4420 Camberwell Road in Hyde Park for residents to use.
The Hyde Park Neighborhood Council urged residents on Saturday, July 18, to file claims with MSD's Sewer Backup Program within 48 hours so the district could investigate. That 48-hour investigation window has closed. Residents should call MSD at 513-352-4900 to confirm whether claims are still being accepted.
How to get help
Residents can reach MSD's Sewer Backup Program at 513-352-4900. To report debris, blocked roadways, or drainage concerns, call 311 within city limits or visit 311cincy.org.
