Cleanup Continues After 294 Homes Flood in Enoch
Aug 3, 2021, 8:02 PM | Updated: 8:10 pm
ENOCH, Utah — The damage in the small town of Enoch, just a few miles from Cedar City, is turning out to be worse than first reported.
Rob Dotson, Enoch’s city manager, told KSL-TV that 294 homes were flooded, much more than the 200 first reported on Sunday when the storm hit.
SEVERE WEATHER: The city of Enoch is being pounded with heavy rain, which is causing some areas of flooding. 🌧 #utwx
📹: Jennifer Hibler pic.twitter.com/ztzNylDN2q
— KSL 5 TV (@KSL5TV) August 2, 2021
“This is a hurt community. There are people who have experienced trauma, not of anyone’s fault. This is a natural disaster that has occurred here and people are hurting,” said Dotson.
Dotson said in the last five weeks, they’ve counted as many as seven storms that have dumped a total of about 15 inches of water.
During the weekend from Friday to Sunday, they had about five inches of water alone.
An ominous looking sky over Cedar City as rain fell to the ground 🌧
📹: Alexandra Turk pic.twitter.com/BefbeUY6e7
— KSL 5 TV (@KSL5TV) August 2, 2021
Sunday evening’s storm hit with such force that it sent rivers of water through town, breaking out basement windows and filling up homes with water.
The water also backed up sewer lines, which caused drains to flood in people’s homes.
“I don’t know of any record that would have this amount of moisture, especially storms stacked on each other,” said Dotson.
Heartbreak and devastation in the small town of Enoch dozens of homes flooded. Major clean up underway @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/RsVuqJtQzI
— Dan Rascon (@TVDanRascon) August 2, 2021
On Tuesday, emergency preparedness teams went door to door to assess the damage so that Enoch can try and get money from the federal government. But Dotson said he’s unsure whether residents will end up seeing any money.
“There is thresholds. There is a large amount of information that has to be complied within two weeks to a month to put an application together for FEMA,” said Dotson.
Dotson said the outpouring of love and support from the community and surrounding areas has been amazing.
“We are going to get through this with flying colors,” he said.
The Red Cross relief center has been set up inside a building that belongs to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Inside the gym, there are all types of supplies for those in need — from clothing, to diapers, to bedding, to food and water.
The church also sent a semi, loaded with cleaning supplies and large fans to help dry out basements.
Landon Dennis was in tears as he walked around and gathered much-needed supplies.
Dennis, his wife and their young child lost everything after their basement apartment flooded.
“I came to get a fan to dry out and I saw this. It’s hard for me to not get teared up,” he said with emotion. “We are hard on money right now with my little family; we are already struggling. Everything we own got swept away.”
