Nestor adds to flooding problems for Gotha residents near Lake Nally

Gotha, Fla. — Residents in Gotha have been dealing with flooding for weeks. They said it’s because road projects nearby are dumping water into Lake Nally and that water is running straight into their homes.

With the outer bands of Nestor impacting the area, some residents had to find a new place to stay because their homes were being flooded from all the rain.

One family had to find a new place to stay and another may need to soon due to flooding.

The Fernandez family was forced to move out of their home.

“There are snakes in there, and ... we haven’t been able to move out anything,” Mery Fernandez said.

Neighbors said the county refuses to take responsibility for the road projects that dump water into the lakes. The water then floods homes in the area.

“The county's going to own up to that and they’re gonna get my house back,” Fernandez said.

Resident Paul Dehart is worried he won’t be able to get into his house one day.

“Doesn’t have to rise much more and I won’t be able to get in and out, which will effectively take away my house,” Dehart said.

People in the neighborhood said county officials told them that because the lakes are private, the responsibility falls on the homeowners.

“In the meantime, they still say there’s no temporary solution for this, which is hard to believe,” Dehart said.

Residents said county officials told them authorities are working on conducting a study of the entire basin to find a long-term fix.

For now, the neighbors are doing what they can to help each other out.