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She says flooding has made her Henrico apartment inaccessible: 'I'm a prisoner in my own home'

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Posted at 5:17 PM, Apr 10, 2024
and last updated 2024-04-10 19:25:02-04

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- For the past month, Henrico resident Geraldine Green said any dampness in the forecast has created a dark cloud around her day.

The last time it rained the grandmother said she felt trapped after she was unable to leave her home, as the areas surrounding her first-floor apartment were flooded with water.

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She reached out to CBS 6 hoping to get this issue resolved saying it only gets worse every time it rains.

"I love Tom, but now when Tom says it’s going to rain, my heart just tightens," she said.

After a rainfall in early March, she said the water levels at both her front entry and back entry reached above her ankles. "I can’t go anywhere, I’m a prisoner in my own home," Green said.

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Green shows how high the water near her home can get

Living alone with her health conditions, she fears falling the most. "I have had hip replacement surgery, knee replacement surgery, and screws in my toes," she said. "I’m afraid to go out through the water, slip and fall and no one's around me."

It's a problem Green believes started after a drainpipe was added to a nearby downspout. She said she reached out to the complex management and was told they would call her back about fixing it.

She then reached out to CBS 6 after she said she didn't get a call and she was worried about upcoming rain in the forecast.

"My fear is opening up my front door and there’s rain coming inside. What do I do?" she said.

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Green says she likes where she lives but fears for her safety. She told CBS 6 she hopes the complex fixes the issue soon.

"Just don’t tell me you understand my frustration and that’s it, that’s all I get. All I want is communication on what’s going on," she said.

When CBS 6 reached out to the corporate office of the apartment complex about the issue, they responded by saying in part:

"As you are aware, it has been a wet winter, and the ground is saturated. Naturally, some areas are not draining as quickly as we would like. We are working with local contractors now to address the reported issue."

Depend on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for in-depth coverage of this important local story. Anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.

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