Erika brings flooding concerns for Port Orange

PORT ORANGE, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Port Orange has had it's share of flooding, especially near the corner of Spruce Creek and Dunlawton. Now, many who live around here are keeping their eyes on Erika, and preparing for the worst.

Hal Johnson and other are filling up sand bags to try and protect their homes. He says, " We've been watching the storm, and I live in a condo -- a third-floor condo -- and my past experience with sliding doors when I lived on the beach in 2004 was that if you don't put sand bags down, you're end up with a lot of water under the doors. So, I'm trying to prevent that from happening."

City Spokesman Kent Donahue says the city's been working for a few days to prepare. He says, "Our crews have been out since last Thursday, they've been drawing down all the different ponds, to create capacity for the forcast rainfall that's coming with the storm event."

Last September 60 homes flooded causing some $1.5 million in damage. An internal investigation found two Public Works employees failed to prepare the city for flooding. The report states a chief plant operator and a foreman did not pump down area retention ponds or open a tide gate in the area of Dunlawton Avenue and Spruce Creek Road.

City officials say that has been done, and they don't anticipate the flooding we saw last year. Either way, Hal Johnson says he's hoping Erika stays away.  He says, "I don't need water in my bedrooms and living room."