West side neighbors begin cleaning up after flood damage

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Mail delivery is a sign that life is returning to a west side of Indianapolis neighborhood near Biltmore Avenue and Washington Street.

Tuesday’s heavy rain made the streets impassible.

“It was just flooded everywhere and we couldn’t get through,” Gina Delarosa said.

Residents were evacuated for the night, unsure of what would be left of their homes when they returned.

“We just came in and got our clothes real fast and we left,” Delarosa said. “We stayed in a hotel until this morning, then we came home.”

On Wednesday, residents had their first chance to begin the clean up.

Sally Carroll pulled up her trashed flooring.

She said the water came halfway up the couches in her living room.

“Probably 16 inches of water,” she said. “A lot of damage, lost all of our furniture, it was a mess.”

The American Red Cross visited Sally and her neighbors, providing cleanup kits, water, and information to get some help.

This is the second time Sally’s home has flooded and she said after going through this again, she’s had enough.

She won’t need mail delivered here much longer.

“We are going to put this house up for sale,” she said. “We’ve lived here 30 years but we are selling it.”

Many of the residents believe better drainage from this neighborhood could prevent future flooding.