Draper homeowners left with massive cleanup after torrential rain
Aug 4, 2023, 2:33 PM | Updated: 3:16 pm
Highland Drive near 1300 East. (Photo: Adam Small)
(Photo: Adam Small)
DRAPER, Utah — Just above the mud-ridden Highland Drive near 1300 East, homeowners up and down the hillside were seen doing some cleanup, and more importantly, checking on their neighbors after a big storm hovered over Draper on Thursday night.
Chris Longacre was bombarded by visitors checking on his family Friday morning after their basement was left a complete mess by rushing water from the torrential rainstorm.
“We’ve never had anything even like [this]… no issues really at all with any kind of flooding,” Longacre said.
Longacre was taking his son home when his wife called in a panic. Water was quickly rising in the basement.
Draper neighbors lend a helping hand to homeowners
Amidst the rain, in typical Utah fashion, neighbors in Draper arrived to help homeowners clean up. “We had strangers in here that we didn’t even know that were coming to help, it was pretty amazing,” Longacre said.
Summer Perry, Longacer’s next-door neighbor said there were probably 50 people that showed up to help. Some of them were neighbors, some were strangers. All helped pump water out of both of their basements and did whatever they could to lend a hand.
“You have to be grateful for the people who show up when it’s really hard,” Perry said.
Everyone was able to keep the water at bay until it finally receded. By Friday morning though, it seemed as if not one thing in Longacre’s basement was untouched by debris, mud, or water.
“All of the furniture down there is completely flooded, so it’s all ruined,” Perry said.
Despite a disastrous storm for these families, both Longacre and Perry say they are just grateful no one was hurt.
“The main thing is that everybody is safe, nobody got harmed. All of this carpet and stuff can be easily replaced,” Longacre said.
Draper Mayor Troy Walker declared a state of emergency due to the flooding. He said many roads were damaged or left impassible because of standing water and slide debris.
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