Residents in Lindenhurst are beginning the process of cleaning up after a nor’easter brought heavy rain, strong winds and significant flooding to parts of the South Shore earlier this week.
On Pacific Street, the aftermath was still visible Tuesday as homeowners hosed down garages and swept out mud and debris. One of them, Matt Cullen, spent the afternoon clearing out his garage, which took on water during the storm.
“We got about two and a half feet of water in the garage,” Cullen said. “The nor’easter dumped a lot of rain, and we got an east wind on the bay, so that pushed the canal up.”
Though most homes in the area are elevated, garages and lower levels were not spared. Fortunately for Cullen, he had prepared ahead of time and elevated most of his belongings, including furniture.
Several streets across Lindenhurst were impassable during the storm, forcing some residents to navigate the floodwaters by kayak.
Town of Babylon Public Works Commissioner Vincent Piccoli said the flooding was worsened by abnormally high tides that overwhelmed the stormwater drainage system, pushing bay water back into drains.
Crews are now working to inspect storm basins and clear any debris that may be blocking water flow, officials said.