They were not on a floodplain, but lost their homes anyway

FARMINGTON, N.M. – Floodwaters damaged more than 50 homes in Farmington’s Harper Valley neighborhood, leaving families without flood insurance wondering how they will rebuild.

Residents said the flooding hit Thursday night, and families are now sorting through mud and debris inside damaged homes.

“You know, Thursday night we were just made aware of devastating flooding that was coming our way, so we tried to grab as much stuff as we could out of homes and helping our neighbors get stuff out, and it really just wasn’t enough time,” Andrew Gilbert said.

Gilbert said his family lost three homes: his own, his parents’ home next door and his 91-year-old grandmother’s home around the corner. He also works for the sheriff’s office and tried to help rescue neighbors as the water rose.

“I was down here trying to help rescue my neighbors and at the same time losing my house,” Gilbert said. “But now on the backside of it, we’re the ones that need the help.”

Jamie Decker said her home stayed dry after her family evacuated. She is now helping gather donations for neighbors who lost their belongings.

“So we’re just organizing food and donations, water supplies, like anything that we can,” Jamie Decker said.

Gilbert said many families in the neighborhood do not live on a floodplain and do not carry flood insurance. He said that leaves them to cover cleanup and replacement costs on their own.

“Most of the people down here, myself included, we’re not on a floodplain, so we don’t have flood insurance. So financially, I don’t know how we’re going to rebuild,” Gilbert said.

“I’d say that at least myself probably lost 60% of everything that I own, and my parents and my grandma like same like clothes, everything. We just we really are starting from scratch,” Gilbert said.

How you can help

You can help the Gilbert family via the link below:

Help the Gilbert Family GoFundMe

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