INDIANTOWN, Fla. (CBS12) — Residents in Indiantown‘s Booker Park neighborhood are cleaning up flooded homes and cars after several inches of rain turned streets into what neighbors described as a lake Saturday.
The National Weather Service issued a flood advisory for southwestern Martin County Saturday afternoon after between three and four inches of rain had already fallen, with another one to two inches possible.
Photos and video provided to CBS12 News show water covering streets, surrounding homes and reaching vehicles. Other images show water inside a car and residents drying out belongings after the flooding.
Booker Park resident, Derek Dowling, spent Monday scooping water out of his flooded car with a kitchen pot.
“All the way up to the front seat. Then the whole back seat filled up,” Dowling said. “I don’t know what else is damaged.”
Dowling said water also got inside his home and described returning to the neighborhood Saturday to find the street looking “like a swimming pool.”
Now, he’s worried it could happen again.
“It makes me nervous that this is going to happen again,” Dowling said.
For Jean Charles, who lives on Palm Beach Street, the water made its way inside his home too.
Charles said the water continued rising even after the rain stopped. He said vehicles driving through the flooded street created waves that pushed even more water toward his house.
“When the truck keep pass by, it’s boom, boom, boom, boom,” Charles said.
He said towels placed near the doors weren’t enough to stop the water.
“It come in the back door and the front door too,” Charles said.
Charles showed CBS12 News standing water still surrounding parts of his property Monday and pointed to drains he believes aren’t working properly.
Residents in Indiantown’s Booker Park neighborhood are cleaning up flooded homes and cars after several inches of rain turned streets into what neighbors described as a lake Saturday. (Rebecca Ramirez)
“The drains aren’t working,” Charles said.
He said he had not seen anyone from the Village at his home as of the time we spoke with him Monday.
The flooding is raising new questions because Booker Park has already undergone a multimillion-dollar project specifically intended to improve drainage.
Village of Indiantown records show officials began a $2.18 million stormwater drainage and roadway improvement project in Booker Park in January 2022. The State of Florida provided $2 million, with another $180,000 coming from the Village.
According to the Village, the project was developed after a study examined the neighborhood’s existing stormwater system and identified vulnerabilities. Improvements included new swales and driveway culverts specifically designed to alleviate flooding in Booker Park. Village planning documents indicated substantial completion was expected by late 2022.
But residents say drainage remains a problem.
Charles said some drains were still filled with water Monday, leaving him concerned as rain began falling again.
“Water is still — can go nowhere,” Charles said.
Other residents reported similarly severe flooding over the weekend. Some said they were unable to drive out of the neighborhood, while Martin County Sheriff’s deputies drove through Booker Park to check on residents.
Now residents are left drying carpets, cleaning their homes and assessing damage to vehicles and belongings — while questioning what happens when the next heavy storm arrives.
CBS12 News has reached out to the Village of Indiantown asking why Booker Park experienced such significant flooding, whether the drainage system performed as designed, what portions of the $2.18 million project were completed and whether additional improvements are planned.
We are waiting for the Village’s response.
Concerned residents may bring this up at a special Village Council meeting Tuesday night at 6 p.m.
The special Village Council meeting is Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bob Souza Center, 15565 SW Osceola St. in Indiantown.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.