OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Maine — Residents of Ocean Park in Old Orchard Beach on Monday continued to deal with the aftermath of the back-to-back severe storms that destroyed homes and impacted the community.
The neighborhood was submerged under 3 to 4 feet of water during Saturday's record-breaking high tide, which led to communitywide flooding.
The consequences were dire, with homes and basements filled with water, forcing some residents to resort to industrial-sized dumpsters to discard their water-damaged belongings.
Many residents said they were still dealing with the difficulty of Wednesday's storm before a second round of high tides came though Saturday.
The most severely impacted were homes situated near the ocean, where the rising tides caused extensive damage.
“We have a lot of work in front of us,” Laurie Gramlich, executive director of Ocean Park Associates, said.
Residents recounted personal experiences, with some describing houses where protective dunes vanished, leaving them vulnerable to future storms with the fear of what might happen if another storm strikes.
Locals emphasized that homes without stilts, with basements, situated closest to the beach, bore the brunt of the flooding.
"Mine's minimal for what I had. It's cleaning up gunk and water. But those who have basements? I feel bad for them,” Janet Kelsey, a resident of Old Orchard Beach, resident said.
Eric Begin, another resident there, said he considered himself fortunate. His home, situated at the highest point in town, remained unscathed.
However, he noted the unprecedented nature of the flooding, emphasizing that even after high tide, water continued to flow through the center of town.
Despite the challenges, residents are grateful for the ongoing support of the fire department, which has been actively involved in draining the water throughout the week.
As the community rallies together, there is a collective acknowledgment that there is still much work to be done in the recovery process.