RICHMOND, Va. -- Some families in Richmond have been displaced from their mobile homes after heavy rain and flooding caused so much damage they were condemned by the city.
Residents of a South Richmond mobile home park went to sleep Thursday night, not thinking that around 3 a.m. they would be scrambling out of bed as flood waters seeped under their doors and continued to rise.
“I would say a disaster zone. I mean this is the worst we’ve ever experienced,” said resident Vanessa Smith.
Photos show Smith’s trailer flooded, with water almost covering a bed.
Smith said her three children were terrified because the flood water was so high it nearly covered three of her brother's cars.
“The kids didn’t know what to think. They were crying and terrified, worried about the dog.”
Neighbors whose homes were all condemned won’t soon forget just how fast and hard the rain came down, rains caused flooding so powerful it lifted a shed off the ground.
Smith said her family lost nearly everything.
One resident got banged up but says he’s glad everyone made it out alive.
“Already sliced the side of my foot. Three nails went through my sandals. It has not been a fun night,” he said.
A GRTC Bus was brought to the mobile home park to provide temporary shelter until the families could gather the items that were salvageable.
The bus also shuttled families to a nearby fire department for bathroom breaks.
The Red Cross is now housing the families at an emergency Red Cross shelter located at St. John's Catholic Church at 813 North Nine Mile Road.
