IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. — Last week’s soaking rain caused widespread flooding across parts of upstate New York. Near Rochester, the rains have impacted some people living on higher ground. People in the suburb of Irondequoit are dealing with a landslide that’s threatening homes and causing major headaches as they deal with insurance.
The hard-driving rain began last Monday. Within days, people living on a small cul-de-sac noticed something wasn’t right.
“My husband noticed on Wednesday, he's like, 'Oh, the backyard looks so different,' ” said Kardy Rin. “And then when he looked further, it was completely gone.”
Rin and husband Nary were told by Irondequoit officials that the landslide made their home unsafe to live in. They had to move out.
“It's a lot,” she said. “It's a lot for us to handle. It's stressing all of us out, and it's a nightmare.”
Dave Stafford lives right next door. Stafford has lost the corner of his backyard. His property line goes a few feet beyond what’s left of his fence. He and his wife are expecting their first child in October. Their home is safe — for now.
“We got a baby on the way, and we were really looking forward to raising him here,” said Stafford. “And now it just doesn't feel safe. You know, every time it rains, we're going to be thinking, what's the next thing that's going to fall?”
Both homeowners say they've never had any problems like this in the more than 10 years of living in the neighborhood. Their biggest concern now is that standard homeowner's insurance does not cover any flood-related issues. The Rins say their claim was denied.
“You get you don't get insurance for the little things, right? You get insurance for the big things,” said Stafford. “You're always hoping that if something catastrophic happens, that at the very least, you're going to be made whole.”
The affected homes back up to state-owned property. The town of Irondequoit has contacted Monroe County and the state on behalf of the homeowner. Visits from the fire department and other town officials have been frequent. Utility crews have also visited to assess the situation involving power lines, which are close to the landslide.
Stafford says he’s not looking to place blame for the landslide that’s threatening his property and his neighbor’s. He just wants a solution.
“Our hope is that the town, the state, the county, somebody comes in to at least help shore up what's left, to save everybody else's houses,” he said. “Because there's a lot of people who could be affected directly from this.”
Meanwhile, the Rins are staying with family — with no idea what might happen next.
“I don't know,” said Hardy Rin. “I don't have words to describe. It's like a nightmare that never ends.”
You need to be a member of Earth Changes and the Pole Shift to add comments!
Join Earth Changes and the Pole Shift