Evans Residents Get Glimpse Of Destruction They Face
EVANS, Colo. (CBS4) - Thousands of flood victims are waiting for word on when they can return home while others are learning their home is gone as hundreds of other homes are being condemned.
A neighborhood in Evans is fenced off and residents can only get their belongings from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
City leaders say standing water still poses a threat in the neighborhood so people have to wear gloves and a mask when they enter the area.
Maria Gonzalez and her aunt hope to find peace of mind.
"It's hard because everything is muddy … so most of the stuff doesn't work anymore," Gonzalez said.
Hundreds of homes have been marked with orange tags meaning they're not safe and condemned. There are 260 destroyed homes and several roads lead to nowhere. City leaders say the flood was so powerful it pushed a concrete block a mile down the road.
"I'm always sad when I come down here," Evans Mayor Lyle Achziger said. "I just saw a family down there carrying out what's left of their life in a little red wagon."
But Achziger said there is good news. The city waste water treatment is up back and running.
"Eight days is a huge success considering, as you've seen here, what we've had to deal with," Achziger said. "Our original intent was to have it up in 10 days, so the fact that we're two days early is amazing."
They're recovering fast, but for Gonzalez it's the emotional recovery for her family that will take longer.
"It's really sad because one day they had everything and the next day they lost everything," she said.
It's not clear how many days they're going to allow people to go in and out to get their belongings.
The no-flush order has been lifted but the mayor is asking everyone to hold off on doing their laundry until Sunday because they don't want to overwhelm the waste water system.
Colorado Floods: How To Help
The recent floods are impacting families and communities throughout Colorado, so CBS4 has compiled a list of ways you can support the local communities impacted by the floods.
