GREECE, N.Y. -- Damage is creeping up on homes along Lake Ontario's edges.
“We are frightened,” said Victoria Visiko of Greece. “We are absolutely frightened. We have animals, we have children, we have beautiful things on our first floor. We’re just waiting for it to come over our breakwall.”
Those are some of the fears along Edgemere Drive in Greece. It’s in the bull’s eye of the perfect storm: rain, wind, rising Lake Ontario levels, and low land.
That’s why police on Friday closed two stretches of Edgemere Drive: between Dewey Avenue and Island Cottage Road, and between Manitou Road and Lowden Point Road.
Jim Doyle has lived in this area along the lake almost his entire life.
“I know what it’s like to feel those waves crashing and actually feel them as they shake the foundation of your house,” Doyle said. “It’s no fun.”
Cindy Resnick learned for the first time.
“We just got home and now we’ve got a foot of water down there in the crawl space, and it’s gotten the furnace, so the furnace is done,” Resnick said. “And as you can see there now it looks like maybe it’s coming up this way. Waiting for a plumber. Didn’t know if we should call the fire department. I don’t know what you do at this point.”
Many residents say they are staying for now, but they want answers and help.
“This is our home,” Visiko said. “People are angry. Something has to be done. We’ve talked to different politicians here. What’s happening? Something has to be done before our homes are flooded.”
Sewage is another issue along Edgemere Drive. An alert from the state's Department of Environmental Conservation says storm water mixed with sewage was flowing down Long Pond Road. An estimated 600 gallons per minute flowed out of the system at one point. Officials say the discharge was partially treated with chlorine disinfectant.